Promising results at the women’s European championships in Spain
THE women’s European championships finished in Madrid, Spain on Sunday (September 1), with Irish middleweight Aoife O’Rourke winning a gold medal.
O’Rourke had overcome Russia’s Anastasiia Shamonova in the semi-final on a split decision before unanimously outscoring Poland’s Elzbieta in the final.
O’Rourke’s lightweight team-mate Amy Broadhurst also acquitted herself well. To reach the medal stages Broadhurst beat top Russian Anastasiia Beliakova, winning a unanimous decision. A young boxer, Broadhurst took on Finland’s Mira Potkonen in the semi-final. Potkonen, a veteran Olympian currently in good form, won unanimous points verdict but Broadhurst can be proud of her senior European bronze medal. She said, “Proud of the last week, couldn’t have got a harder draw and delighted with the performance I put in against one of the best boxers in the world today. My time will come eventually, eventually.”
Karriss Artingstall starred for GB with a silver medal at 57kgs, a new Olympic weight. She began her campaign with a unanimous points decision win over France’s Mona Mestiaen. She then stopped host nation boxer Jennifer Fernandez Romero inside two rounds before taking a career-best victory over tournament top seed Stanimira Petrova. Artingstall outpointed the experienced Bulgarian on a unanimous decision. In the final Artingstall lost to Italy’s quality Irma Testa on a unanimous verdict to settle on a silver medal.
England light-flyweight Demie-Jade Resztan also won a silver medal. She racked up wins over Belarus’ Yana Burym and Ukraine’s Hanna Okhota on split decision. Russia’s Iuliia Chumgalakova held her to second place on the podium, taking a unanimous decision.
British rivals Sandy Ryan and Rosie Eccles collided in the tournament. After Ryan, boxing for England, beat Poland’s Karolina Koszewska on a split decision and Eccles, boxing for Wales, had unanimously outscored Patricia Martin Cabrera, the two met in the 69kgs quarter-final. Eccles prevailed winning a split decision and ultimately a bronze medal after Spain’s Angela Carini edged her out on a split decision in their semi-final.
Scotland’s Megan Reid lost a unanimous decision to the eventual gold medallist at 64kgs when she met Italy’s Francesca Amato in the quarter-finals.
WALES VS ENGLAND
An international dual match between young teams
CARDIFF
August 23-24
GARETH JONES RINGSIDE
A strong England Select visited the Sport Wales National Centre for a two-day meeting and left with a brace of victories.
The hosts could at least claim the stand-out performance in the final action of the event, when local boy Scott Jones, beaten on a split on Friday by Frankie Gavin’s protégé, Jay Turner, showed what you can learn in 24 hours with a wide unanimous decision.
Two other boxers avenged first-day losses in rematches, both English: Birtley boy Shaun Huddart, unlucky with the verdict first time around, took a split over North Walian Harry Williams, while Teesside southpaw Andra Manning unanimously outscored Newport’s Ben Wetter.
Swansea stylist Kieran Bevan edged an all-southpaw cracker against Sharpstyle’s Nelson Birchall, but had no answer to another lefty, Leicestershire lad Muhammad Ali, while Birchall did better on the Saturday to outpoint Junior Griffiths.
One Welshman with good reason to complain was Pontypool’s Kieron James, twice on the wrong end of split votes for Pinewood Starr youngster Alfie Hedges. The first was questionable, the second incomprehensible.
In the only female action, Merseysider Shassen Dutton earned two unanimous nods over game Swansea girl Chloe Morris.
RESULTS (Wales
first)
Friday: Schools: 38: Joe Williams outpd by QUIE COLEMAN unan. 38.5: CORY JONES
outpd David Adams split. 40: Mikey O’Sullivan outpd by LUKE RODDA split. Juniors:
41: HARVEY WILLIAMS outpd Edward Smith unan. 47: Kieron James outpd by ALFIE
HEDGES split. 49: JOHN MURPHY outpd Ellis Clifton unan, Scott Richards outpd by
ALBY HILL split. 50: HARRY WILLIAMS outpd Shaun Huddart split. 51: KIERAN BEVAN
outpd Nelson Birchall split. 53: Junior Griffiths outpd by JACK McHOUGHLIN
split. 58: BEN WETTER outpd Andra Manning split. 61: Paddy Murphy outpd by PA
DOHERTY split. 67: Jayden Torrance outpd by MARK BENHAM split. Youths: 58: Chloe
Morris outpd by SHASSEN DUTTON unan. 61: Scott Jones outpd by JAY TURNER split.
Saturday: Schools: 40: O’Sullivan outpd by RODDA split. Juniors: 38.5: SAAD
ABDULLAH outpd Adams split. 41: HARVEY WILLIAMS outpd Smith split. 47: James
outpd by HEDGES split. 49: J. MURPHY outpd Hill split. 50: Harry Williams outpd
by HUDDART split. 52: Bevan outpd by MUHAMMAD ALI unan. 53: Griffiths outpd by
BIRCHALL split. 58: Wetter outpd by MANNING unan. 67: Torrance outpd by BENHAM
split. Youths: 58: Morris outpd by DUTTON unan. 61kg: JONES outpd Turner unan.
SAD NEWS
Dagenham’s Dan O’Sullivan pays tribute to Terry Giles
THE country’s longest serving boxing judge has sadly passed away. Terry Giles was approaching his 86th birthday and served as a judge on the amateur boxing circuit up until very recently In London. He covered every domestic championship stage for nearly 58 years – most of them with his beloved Dagenham Amateur Boxing Club.
Terry was a very popular ‘Old School’ Judge on the circuit – very kind, and friendly. He could often be seen consoling young boxers who taken a loss, with words of wisdom and encouragement. He loved to pop into the Dagenham gym, where he’d keep an eye on the rising talent.
In more recent years, Terry spent much of his time in Spain, with his partner – up to six months each year, but even this would revolve around his devotion to amateur boxing.
The send-off for Terry will take place on Wednesday 11th September, 2pm at Corbet’s Tey Crematorium, Ockendon Road, Upminster RM14 2UY.
