The afternoon session of the sixth competition day was held at the AIBA Youth Men’s and Women’s World Boxing Championships in Kielce, Poland. The event turned into its quarter-final phase, and the first medallists of the tournament were set.
Boxers at the women’s featherweight (57kg) and heavyweight (+81kg) competed for the guaranteed medal in Kielce during the afternoon session. The first medallist nations of the AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships are India, Uzbekistan, Poland, Thailand, France, Moldova and Kazakhstan. Today’s winners at the men’s lightweight (60kg) and middleweight (75kg) advanced to the quarter-finals in Kielce.
India’s Poonam and Thailand’s Panida Kawkankhun are the first medallists in Kielce
India’s Poonam and Kazakhstan’s Nazerke Serik are strong champions from previous major international events. They met each other in the quarter-finals of the women’s featherweight (57kg). The defending ASBC Asian Youth Champion Indian is one year older than her Kazakh rival and she proved an outstanding performance once again. Poonam worked hard until the last seconds and her strength was the difference between the two stars today.
‘I was a bit nervous before the quarter-final but I calmed myself down when I stepped into the ring. I did not watch any videos about Nazerke Serik, this was the work of my coaches, and I followed their instructions. I felt that I could do it at the good level from the first seconds until the final gong,’ commented her latest success India’s star Poonam.
Thailand’s Panida Kawkankhun attended successfully the last edition of their Elite National Championships and she was too experienced for Italy’s Giorgia Paradisi in the quarter-finals of the women’s featherweight (57kg). The Thai talent kept the fighting distance and the long-range prevented her to avoid the Italian attacks. Paradisi moved ahead without any pause but Kawkankhun’s tactical superiority decided the contest. Thailand achieved its first medal in Kielce continuing the country’s tradition.
“I am so proud of that I could get a medal for Thailand at the AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships. I am over the moon,” commented her success Kawkankhun.
Moldova won its first woman medal since 2011
Moldova’s Daria Kozorez is the defending EUBC European Youth Champion in the women’s heavyweight (+81kg). She expected a tough contest against Spain’s Clara Paraiso who claimed a silver medal at the Boxam Tournament one month ago. The Moldovan looked stronger already in the first exchanges and she spent less than three minutes in the ring when the ringside doctor stopped the contest. She achieved Moldova’s first woman medal at the AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships since Irina Gilca’s bronze in the 2011 Antalya edition ten years ago.
The main favorite of the women’s heavyweight (+81kg) India’s Alfiya Tarannum Akram Khan Pathan had to box until the final gong in Kielce against Hungary’s newcomer Reka Hoffmann. She is the first girl in her family who can do any kind of sports and proved better performance in each round during her debuting contest. Poland’s Oliwia Toborek delivered an emotional success over Russia’s Tatiana Bogdanova taking the host nation’s first medal in Kielce. The fourth guaranteed medal was captured by Kazakhstan’s Yeldana Talipova who stopped Ukraine’s Viktoria Levchuk.
Outstanding battles in the men’s lightweight (60kg) and middleweight (75kg)
Japan’s Reito Tsutsumi is the defending ASBC Asian Youth Champion who is unbeaten on the international stage and a gold medal contender at the tournament in Kielce. The Japanese boxer was smaller than Azerbaijan’s Jalal Gurbanov, however, his energetic rhythm was uncomfortable for the rival. Tsutsumi’s speed was impressive during the entire contest and he was able to still increase that rhythm and due to his great finish, he won the bout by a large margin.
Cuba’s Jadier Herrera and India’s Akash Gorkha produced a fantastic battle in the men’s lightweight (60kg). Both boxers are well-experienced and their hands looked like machine guns in the first and second rounds. The Cuban was slightly better in the final 3 minutes, which decided their contest, and marched into the last eight in Kielce. In one of the most anticipated middleweight (75kg) contests of the day, Brazil’s Cologne Boxing World Cup winner Isaias Filho was smarter than Cuba’s Albert Gonzalez and joined the last eight.
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