LOCHGELLY boxing star Emma McCulloch says she has "come a long way" after running a Dutch Olympic hopeful close in Eindhoven.

The Glenrothes Boxing Club champion took part in the Eindhoven Box Cup, the Netherlands' largest Olympic boxing event, and saw more than 200 boxers from across Europe take part in female, male, elite and youth tournaments.

She finally stepped into the ring to end a year of frustration that saw planned bouts at London's Haringey Cup last summer and the Hvidovre Box Cup in Denmark in March fail to take place due to her scheduled opponent pulling out.

Emma was also denied the opportunity to defend her Scottish elite light flyweight title at 48kg last month when her scheduled opponent pulled out through illness, but she finally got the fight she was looking for in the shape of Alicia Holzken, the Dutch number one at 51kg.

Although beaten on points at the end of the four round fight, Emma won the bronze medal after scheduled opponent for the third/fourth place play-off pulled out.

She told Times Sport she was pleased with how she performed – especially as Holzken, who won by gold by stopping Russian Galina Chumgalakova, is a candidate for Rio this year.

She said: "The Eindhoven Box Cup was a great experience and the best boxing trip I have had so far. The tournament had more than 200 boxers entered from 16 different countries and, before the tournament, I was matched with a 51kg youth boxer from England. This was arranged in advance as we both had no other opponents in our own categories and it seemed like a fair match.

"All boxers weighed in on the Friday evening and the programme for the weekend was devised shortly afterwards. I had initially entered the tournament as a C-Class boxer (0-5 bouts) and at 48kg, however I was put into the A-Class (15+ bouts) and at 51kg. Straight away I would be giving away weight and experience! It was the same scenario for most of the female boxers and many of the novice boxers pulled out because of this.

"On the Saturday I was drawn against Alicia Holzken – the Dutch number one at 51kg. Alicia had had 70 bouts prior to the Eindhoven box cup to my mere two bouts but I was happy to give it a go anyway! I was initially aiming for gold in my own category but when I was matched against Alicia, I just wanted to get in the ring and box well.

"During the fight I didn't feel out my depth as such but I knew the fight was out of my reach. Although I lost the fight, I was really pleased with the way I boxed. I learned a lot about what stage I am at in my own boxing career and now I'm clear as to what I need to develop for the next stage. It was a test but I'm glad I took the fight – I feel I have come a long way!

"I'm back in the gym training now as next month we have our Glenrothes Boxing Club Show, and we are going back to London for the Haringey Box Cup."