Olympics: Military Athletes Shine For Great Britain

British military sports stars have shone at the Olympic Games in Tokyo, with both the Army and the RAF represented on Saturday.

The Army's Gunner Karriss Artingstall, the first British servicewoman ever to compete in Olympic boxing, is through to the round of 16 in the featherweight (57kg) competition. 

The 26 year-old defeated Botswana's Keamogetse Kenosi, 2014 African Youth Games Gold medallist, with a unanimous points win in her opening bout of the championship in the Kokugikan Arena.

Artingstall, who serves with 1 Regiment Royal Horse Artillery, thanked British Army Sport on social media and looked ahead to her bout in two day's time.

"What a feeling to get the win on my Olympic debut. We keep it moving and go again on Monday the 26th," she wrote on Twitter.

"A huge thank you for all the support, it definitely doesn't go unnoticed."

Next, she will face rank number three, Brazilian Jucielen Romeu.

Later on in the day, the RAF's Senior Aircraftman Liam Sanford helped the Men's Hockey team through a fast-paced battle with South Africa.

Great Britain launched their campaign with a 3-1 win in the Pool B encounter, at the Oi Hockey Stadium.

Germany, Canada, Belgium and the Netherlands make up the rest of the pool.

Cover image: Karriss Artingstall (right), of Great Britain, confronts Sadie Keamogetse Kenosi of Botswana (Picture: Alamy).