The first part of the finals featured at the IBA Women’s World Boxing Championships in Istanbul today evening. Out of the six gold medals, four were achieved by European boxers, first time winners as Turkey’s Ayse Cagirir, Ireland’s duo Amy Broadhurst and Lisa O’Rourke, and Lithuania’s historic champion Gabriele Stonkute.
Armenia, Bulgaria, Croatia, England, Fair Chance Team, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Kosovo, Latvia, Lithuania, Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Scotland, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, Ukraine and Wales are representing the European Boxing Confederation in the IBA Women’s World Boxing Championships. The number of European boxers is 118 in Istanbul representing 27 different nations from all of the regions of the continent.
The bout of the day
Ireland’s Amy Broadhurst won gold medals at the 2018 and 2019 EUBC U22 European Boxing Championships but in the previous two years she could not participate in many events. The Irish girl moved back to the light welterweight (63kg) due to their AIBA Women’s World Champion and Olympic Games winner Kellie Harrington’s dominance at the lightweight (60kg). The 25-year-old Irish had a star opponent in the final, Algeria’s Imane Khelif who lost only one bout in the recent two and half years. The taller Algerian’s game play was good enough only in the first round and the patient Broadhurst surprised her in the second with strong shots. The Irish was stronger in the exchanges and after her amazing performance in the second, she was able to keep that level until the last gong to beat the Algerian favourite in Istanbul.
The surprise of the day
Turkey’s Ayse Cagirir competed in several international competitions between 2014 and 2019 but she was not able to attend any tournaments or championships in the previous two and half years. The Turkish boxer had a tight success over her Argentinian rival in the semi-finals yesterday and she delivered another sensation in the first final of the championship. Kazakhstan’s Alua Balkybekova was in shape throughout the whole championship and she started well in the first round against the local hope. Cagirir had several dangerous moments which she survived and with an exceptional final round, she was able to turn back their minimumweight (48kg) final.
The Round-Up
Ireland arrived at the IBA Women’s World Boxing Championships with a strong team but their coaching staff with Mr. Zaur Antia made more than brilliant efforts to prepare the girls against the best in the globe. Their new EUBC European U22 Champion, Lisa O’Rourke was not the main favourite for the title of the light middleweight (70kg) but she dominated all of her contests during the road to the final. O’Rourke landed the better shots in the first round against Mozambique’s Alcinda Panguane and took the lead on the scorecards. Her African rival eliminated strong opponents too including Kazakhstan’s former AIBA Women’s World Champion Valentina Khalzova. Panguane was not able to keep the same tempo as the Irish girl today and O’Rourke secured Ireland’s second gold medal today.
Two European youngsters advanced to the finals of the light heavyweight (81kg) at the IBA Women’s World Boxing Championships. Lithuania’s Gabriele Stonkute and Poland’s Oliwia Toborek both achieved medals in the junior, youth and U22 age groups but this was their first ever elite world event. The taller Polish girl started the first round well and she tried to keep the aggressive Stonkute on long in this final. The 21-year-old Lithuanian changed her rhythm and tactics in time and produced a wonderful second round in Istanbul. Stonkute was highly confident in the third round and the Mongolian referee counted her rival once which delivered Lithuania’s historical gold medal.
The quotes of the day
“I believe I still need days to understand what I did today. I have been dreaming about this moment since my childhood and I worked almost 20 years to win a big championship. I had to be patient today and not make any mistakes against the counter-attacking Algerian. I felt in the second round that my strategy worked and I knew that I could make it. I don’t remember what my coach Zaur Antia told me in the second break but I gave in everything in the third,” said Ireland’s new sensation, Amy Broadhurst.
“I can’t find any words now…I won the EUBC European U22 Boxing Championships in Croatia this March but this is something unexpected for me. My plan is always to be on the top of the podium but I am over the moon after this success. I had to keep the distance in this final, and followed Zaur’s and John’s instructions,” said Lisa O’Rourke after her final.