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OLYMPIC WARNING: Former Thomas Hardye School pupil Aaron Cook

DORCHESTER taekwondo star Aaron Cook has warned American Steven Lopez he is targeting his Olympic title after his place in the Team GB squad was officially announced.

The 17-year-old, who will compete in the -80kg category in Beijing, became the first British male to be crowned World Junior Champion when he defeated Korean Yeong Rae in Turkey last month.

Cook's groundbreaking victory came as little to surprise to those in the know with the former Thomas Hardye School pupil already in possession of Youth Olympic Festival gold and the Commonwealth title.

And despite the talented teenager admitting London may represent his best opportunity for Olympic gold he warned Lopez, who has won four consecutive World titles, to underestimate him at his peril.

He said: "It's been a great couple of weeks becoming the first ever male world champion and now to be going to Beijing is fantastic - You can't get better than that.

"Everyone loves the Olympics and it's been a childhood dream since I started the sport and for me it's about experience that will stand me in good stead for 2012.

"But I think I've got a really good chance and I'm maybe a bit of a dark horse in this tournament.

"I've beaten five or six of the opponents going to the Games and there are only 16 athletes competing, so I have a chance.

"Steven Lopez, the two-time Olympic champion, is the greatest taekwondo fighter out there at the moment and he's in my weight - so he'll be the one to beat.

"But I think I have enough in my armoury to give him a good fight and on the day who knows what can happen?"

Meanwhile, Cook, whose parents joined him in Manchester last year to be nearer his training base, revealed he first became interested in taekwondo after attempting to emulate the Power Rangers in his Dorset home.

And the Doncaster Scorpion club member was happy to recount his first steps as Dame Kelly Holmes' National School Sport Week - a government initiative supported by Norwich Union - ticks ever closer.

He added: "I started when I was five and got in to it through the Power Rangers because I wanted to be the White Ranger.

"My parents thought it would be a good idea to take up self-defence and it went from there - my dad has really helped me.

"I love sport but it doesn't compare to taekwondo."

National School Sport Week is a government initiative managed by the Youth Sport Trust and supported by Norwich Union with the aim to engage over three million children in sport, which kicks off on June 30.

8:11am Tuesday 3rd June 2008

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