Hartlepool boxer Savannah Marshall insists she does not enjoy being in the spotlight - but after striking gold at last week's Olympic Test Event in London she may have to get used to it.

Marshall claimed welterweight silver at the 2010 World Championships and underlined her class at the London Prepares Series at the ExCel in east London on Sunday, defeating Kazakhstan's Dariga Shakimova 13-10 in the final.

The Hartlepool-born fighter was one of five Brits to top the podium with her middleweight gold coming in a top-class field with Australian Naomi Fischer-Rasmussen and American Franchon Crews among her victims.

And after out-boxing Asian Games bronze medallist Shakimova in the final, Marshall catapulted herself in to the 'one to watch for London 2012' category, meaning her chances of staying below the radar are now unlikely.

"I'm not sure about the attention, I'm quite shy so I don't really tell people I box if I can help it," said Marshall.

"I am over the moon to have won gold. I haven't won one since March last year but I have medalled in other tournaments.

"I want to get stronger for the Worlds and next year because I am still getting the feel of my new weight. The Worlds are still seven months away so it gives me a lot of time to improve.

"It's my dream to win Olympic gold because it is the biggest stage on world sport and being there is the pinnacle of every athlete's career.

"Being in London for 2012 would be unbelievable because fighting in front of a home crowd adds a new dimension."

Marshall faces a big 2012 as she bids to make an impact at May's World Championships in China at her new weight, having won silver as a welterweight last year.

And with the Olympics coming hot on the heels of her trip to the Far East, Marshall admits she is working overtime to ensure she is in prime condition come 2012.

"My coach and my club (Headland ABC) in Hartlepool have got me on the kettle barrels, so I'm doing a lot of kettle barrel training which is different to the weights because it gets really boring doing weights all the time," she added.

"They've got me flipping tyres and swinging sledgehammers and all stuff like that. It's hard but it's better than just standing there doing weights because that's dead boring.

"I've got Christmas so it'll be nice to have a month to wind it down but then it's back to warm weather training in the New Year at somewhere to be confirmed.

"To come here and be successful before the Olympics is great. Getting the feel of the venue is helpful. Some countries didn't come so I have got an advantage because I have built up a routine while I was here.

"No-one is guaranteed their spot for 2012 but I am quietly confident that I will be stepping into the ring at this arena when the Games come around."

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