AIBA Women's Junior/Youth World Championships: Shields enters the competition

LOGO AWJYBC Albena 2013

USA Boxing phenomenon and London 2012 Middleweight (75kg) Olympic Champion Claressa Shields  entered yesterday in the second edition of the AIBA Women’s Junior/Youth World Championships in Albena, Bulgaria. The 18-year-old US star dominated the opening frame against Ukraine’s Youth National Champion and experienced Mariya Borutsa. Shields then only needed 128 seconds before the referee stopped the unequal bout.

The Algerian male boxers caused huge surprises at the Mediterranean Games winning five gold medals in Mersin while their young female hopes continued the glorious days in Albena. Their youth Light Flyweight (48kg) boxer multiple National Champion Souhila Bouchene did not give any chance to Russia’s Alena Artemova and did one of the biggest surprises of the third competition day in Albena. In the same division US favourite Marisol Lopez defeated a strong rival China’s Xiao Lan by split decision and also secured her place in the quarter-finals of the championships.

Italy’s rising star Miriam Podda eliminated Hungary’s AIBA Women’s Junior World Championships bronze medallist Kornelia Kitti Nagy on Day 1 and continued the winning path against another top European boxer Germany’s Elisabeth Wohlgemuth in the last 16. The Italian Featherweight (57kg) class boxer found the best fighting distance in the first round and won her second battle in Albena.

Sweden’s current AIBA Women’s Junior World Champion and multiple international tournament winner 17-year-old Agnes Alexiusson also started her long way for the expected gold medal in Albena. The Light Welterweight (64kg) star boxer met with Australia’s Mamate Schuster in the last 16 and controlled the bout from the first seconds therefore her hand was raised by the referee after the final bell.

In the junior Light Flyweight class (48kg) Ireland’s European Union Junior Champion Jacqui Lynch eliminated Chinese Taipei’s Fong Shr Ni winning the bout clearly and advanced to the quarter-finals. The Irish junior boxer’s main rival in this division Russia’s European Junior Champion Ekaterina Paltceva also done great job against Turkey’s Ulku Cagirir and reached the Top 8 in Albena.

England’s European Union Junior Championships gold medallist Ebonie Jones opened with a clear victory on Day 2 and the 15-year-old hope continued the winning way against Turkey’s Sumeyye Kesikoglu at the Flyweight (50kg) class in the championships. Ebonie Jones was named as top talent of England by London 2012 Olympic Champion Anthony Joshua (men’s 91+kg) and her technique was raised following the sparring with another London 2012 Olympic Champion Nicola Adams.

France’s top junior female boxer Santiana Meurant is only 16 but she had high number of bouts during her career and these experiences were enough to beat Algeria’s Junior National Cup winner Fatiha Mansouri at the Light Bantamweight (52kg) class. The French talent needs only one further victory to be bagged at least a guaranteed bronze medal in Albena.

Ireland’s Ciara Ginty was only silver medallist in their national event but decided to move up a division therefore she is competing at the Lightweight class (60kg) in Albena. The 16-year-old Irish girl caused a huge surprise in the last 16 when she was able to stop China’s two-time Junior National Champion Gao Meiqi at the lightweight class. Azerbaijan’s only junior boxer in the championships is Alina Gadzhiyeva who stopped Bulgaria’s Nikoleta Yordanova after 105 seconds of fight and advanced to the semi-finals of the junior Heavyweight class (80+kg).

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