Sharissa Gannaway will look to emulate the successes of Team GB’s taekwondo athletes at previous Games when she competes at the Youth Olympics in Argentina next month.

Southampton-born Sharissa, 15, is one of Britain’s two Taekwondo representatives in Team GB’s 42-strong squad alongside Aaliyah Powell, also 15, in Buenos Aires from October 6-18.

The multi-sport event catapulted taekwondo star Jade Jones to international stardom eight years ago.

Jones, 17 when she won her gold medal in Singapore, has gone on to become double Olympic champion and reigning world number one.

Four years ago, Christian McNeish and Abigail Stones won a pair of bronze medals when the Games were hosted in China. Londoner McNeish is presently the reigning European champion and has won three other tournaments in 2018.

Sharissa, who competes for British Taekwondo Schools in Southampton, also won a Junior European silver medal last autumn. She added two more second places this year at the US and Dutch Opens before making it fourth time lucky at the Luxembourg Open.

“I was buzzing when I found out I had been selected for the Youth Olympics,” she said.

“It was great to qualify the spot earlier this year but you can’t get too excited in case you might not go. But when you finally get confirmation it’s great.”

The athletes will be joined by 62 athlete role models in Argentina whose primary function will be to support, advise and inspire the young athletes.

Jade Jones will be included in the mix as well as, four-time Olympian and Rio 2016 gold medallist Helen Richardson-Walsh.