A former Arthur Prince Volkswagen sales executive, who left the job to concentrate on his hockey career, will compete for Great Britain at the Rio 2016 Olympics.

Sam Ward worked at the Belton Road dealership for four and a half years and fit in training sessions around his time at the dealership.

Ward left the business in 2014 to pursue his professional hockey career.

Geoff Prince, managing director of Arthur Prince, said: “We’re so proud of Sam. He took all his holiday while he was working for us and used it as training.

"He would train with England in the morning and then go straight to training sessions after work. We helped out to be flexible where we could be, but he was seriously dedicated to his training and knew that he had to have that focus in order to play for England.”

Prince said Ward reported in to brand manager Becky Wagstaffe at the VW dealership who supported Ward during his time at the showroom between selling cars and his ambition to play professional hockey.