ENGLAND Performance has reaffirmed its dominance on the continental stage, being crowned ‘Best Team’ at the U15 European Championships in Budva, Montenegro, after an outstanding medal haul of 10 gold, one silver and two bronze medals.
The result cements England’s position as the leading U15 boxing nation in Europe, finishing ahead of Ukraine, Georgia and Ireland in the team standings.
England entered Finals Day with 11 boxers competing for gold, having already secured two bronze medals through Laylah Beecher (Tommy Coyle’s) and Tommy Catanach (Newham).
After Alice Cash (Hoddesdon) narrowly missed out on gold to take silver, England embarked on a remarkable winning streak – closing the competition with an impressive 10 gold medals from the 13 medal bouts contested.
The achievement is made even more remarkable by the fact that all 16 selected boxers were making their European Championships debuts, and that four of them were born in 2012, competing a year ahead of their age group.
Among the talented younger group were gold medallists Mason Long (Longs ABC) and Shane Keet (Heart of Portsmouth), silver medallist Alice Cash (Hoddesdon), and Kayden Agostinho (Thurrock), who reached the quarterfinals in his first international tournament.
Leona Anaman (Longs ABC, Chelmsford) was one of the standout performers, claiming gold in dominant fashion and being named Best Female Boxer of the competition. She said: “Winning gold out here in Montenegro means everything to me.
“It’s all I’ve ever wanted and I’m proud to be doing it out here in front of all these people who all mean so much to me.”
Evander Dickinson (Dickinson’s School of Boxing, Birtley) also captured gold and spoke emotionally about following in the footsteps of his family: “Winning gold means everything to me, to be honest.
“I’ve been training for it since I was very small. All my brothers have boxed for England and my older brother Mark; he went to the Europeans and won gold.
“As a schoolboy (U15) he got bronze at the Europeans, so I’ve done a little better. This means everything to me so I’m absolutely buzzing.”
Reflecting on the team’s overall success, England’s Lead Coach in Montenegro, David Johnston (Portsmouth), praised the collective effort across the programme: “What a great achievement for England Boxing.
“This was a fantastic competition and one where every single boxer represented their country with tremendous attitude, resilience, and professionalism.
“I’d like to offer a huge thank you to all the club coaches who have supported and guided the young boxers that represented England at these European Championships. Your hard work has truly shone through.
“Finally, a massive credit must be shown to the three national coaches and the team manager, who were outstanding throughout the competition – both in and out of the ring.
“Our competition motto is ‘We don’t come to take part; we come to take over’ and we certainly proved that.”
The result underlines the continued success of the England Performance Pathway, with the next generation of boxers showcasing skill, discipline and potential on the European stage.
