At the start the EUBC Women’s European Boxing Championships in Sofia with 32 Nations and 146 boxers
06 June 2018Kick off the EUBC Women’s European Boxing Championships, reserved to Elite from 19 to 40 years old, with the finals on June 12. The top ten classified of 5 categories (kg. 48, 57, 60, 69 and 75) will get a pass to the participation to the 2019 European Championships set at Minsk, Belarus.
Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria, host the 11st Edition of the most important tournament in the continent and hosted the previous edition in 2016. The competition venue changes: in 2016 was the Sports Hall (7000 seats), today is the ASICS Arena Festival, built recently.
At the start 32 Nations and 146 boxers on the ring.
For Franco Falcinelli, EUBC President and AIBA Vice-President, the Championships remains the flagship of women’s activity, extended at an organizational level, justifying the satisfaction for the achievements.
The event is relatively young: born in 2001 after two test editions with the European Cup in 1999 and 2000. The first edition was hosted in Sweden, the second in France. As expected, from the beginning, there was the Russian domain; Sweden, Greece, Turkey and France the other medalists. The official debut in St. Amand-les-Eaux, in France, in 2001: 77 athletes, 14 Nations, 12 categories, only 11 golds awarded, no registered in 77 kg. Triumph of Russia: 6 golds and 4 bronzes, Turkey and France 2 golds, Norway a gold. In subsequent editions it is accented Russian domain. Right now, the medal standings sees the Russian team in the first place with 41 golds, 16 silvers and 29 bronzes, followed by Turkey (12-14-33), Ukraine (8-11-32), Romania (8-4-25), France (6-9-16), Italy (6-2-10), Ireland (6-0-2) thanks to the triumphs of Taylor, Hungary (5-11-17), Norway (5-5-4), Poland (4-11-15), Sweden (4-10-7) and Bulgaria (4-3-5). Follow other 15 countries, for a total of 27 countries on the podium.
A big gap, even if the competition is preading, with the entrance of former USSR. For the 2018 Edition, among the 33 Nations present, only Turkey and Ukraine have 10 athletes; 9 Russia; 8 Hungary and Germany; 7 Italy, Poland, Belarus; 6 Bulgaria, Croatia, France, Spain and Romania; 5 Czech Republic; 4 England and Serbia; 3 Ireland, Finland, Sweden, Wales, Greece and the Netherlands; 2 Armenia, Denmark, Lithuania, Moldova and Norway; 1 Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kosovo, Montenegro and Slovenia.
Clearly the choice to ain for quality to the quantity. Of the ten reigning champions, there are three Bulgarian: Asenova (48), Petrova (54) e Eliseva, born in 1981, climb into the light weight, whereas the Russian Habramova drops from 60 kg to 57. The Russian Magomedov (+ 81) was confirmed, absent the Saveleva (34 years) who did not take part in the National Championships held in Ulan Ude, in March. The Russian coaches have chosen the reigning champions, including two boxers of 1999, Takawira (81) – 2017 European Youth gold – and Dynnik (64), who won bronze in the same edition.
There are a few veterans, led by the Romanian Steluta Duta (48), born in 1982, present since 2005 (3 gold and 3 bronze) to her eighth presence. Present, the Dutch Fontjn (31 years), silver in 2011 and gold in 2014, and the Denmark’s Rasmussen (37 years), two sons and much passion for this sport. On all, the Finnish Potkonen, the oldest, born in 1980, reigning silver (48), promoted in Rio Olympic Games in 60 kg, where she got the bronze. A true wonder.
On the other side, eight athletes are under 19 years. The youngest of all is the French D’Almeida (48), born on 20 November 1999, a little older the Georgian Khunjua, the Spanish Gonzales, the Bulgarian Mehmedova (60), the Hungarian Nagy, the Croatian Novak, the Serbian Zekic and the other Hungarian Juhasz still 18 years old, nearly 20 years younger than the veterans.
