Cacic and Loladze are the heroes of the women’s quarter-finals in Porec
19 March 2022The female winners of the sixth competition day joined to the semi-finals at the EUBC U22 European Boxing Championships in Porec, Croatia and all of them are medallists. Croatia’s Nikolina Cacic is a top boxer but she had to do her very best to beat her Irish opponent on Day6. Georgia’s Elene Loladze delivered the main sensation of the day earning a historical U22 medal for her nation.
The number of the participating boxers is 319 from 39 countries including 103 girls in the EUBC U22 European Boxing Championships. Boxers who were born in 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2003 are eligible to attend in the upcoming EUBC U22 European Boxing Championships. The Technical Delegate of the EUBC U22 European Boxing Championships is Mr. Viorel Sima of Romania.
The following record number of 39 nations are attending in the 2022 EUBC U22 European Boxing Championships in Porec: Albania, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, England, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Kosovo, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Scotland, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine and Wales.
The safety of all participants, the continuous medical checks, the social distancing, the hygienic preparations, the vaccines check, the mask wearing and all of the health controls are the responsibility of the local organizers in Croatia to avoid any new Covid-19 cases during the EUBC U22 European Boxing Championships.
The bout of the day
Croatia’s Nikolina Cacic made several historical steps in their women’s boxing, she was the first boxer from her nation who could earn a medal in an AIBA Women’s Youth World Boxing Championships. She was the first Croatian woman boxer who could qualify to an Olympic Games and Cacic made it happen short after her 20th birthday. The Croatian No.1 had a seriously hard job against Ireland’s Daina Moorehouse in the quarter-finals of the flyweight (52kg). Her Irish opponent was EUBC European Women’s Youth Champion in 2018 but she could not box in the international stage during the Covid-19 period. The small Irish girl tried to pressurize her top rival and landed shots from close range but Cacic could handle their hard tactical contest and won this quarter-final by split decision.
The surprise of the day
Poland’s Natalia Kuczewska achieved silver medal at the Kielce 2021 AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships and she joined to their U22 national team in January. The 18-year-old Polish boxer was a high hope in the event in Porec but she was not able to repeat her previous performance on Day6. The Polish girl met with Turkey’s Erivan Barut who is absolutely newcomer in the international stage but she surprised Kuczewska in the quarter-finals and earned a medal for her nation.
Georgia started to develop women’s boxing in the recent years and their girls are growing and developing step by step. Georgia’s newcomer in the women’s national team Elene Loladze exceeded all of the expectations in Porec and earned a guaranteed medal at the bantamweight (54kg). The Georgian talent eliminated Greece’s defending EUBC European Youth Champion Antonia Giannakopoulou which was the main sensation of the sixth competition day.
The Round-up
Slovakia’s Nicole Durikova had a close success in the first preliminary round and following that success she met with Spain’s Marta Lopez del Arbol for the guaranteed medal in Porec. The Slovakian girl had a hard job in the quarter-final but she won the contest by split decision and became the first medallist in the EUBC U22 European Boxing Championships. The second boxer at the minimumweight (48kg) who earned a medal was Ukraine’s Olga Shalimova following she eliminated France’s Ambrine Zitouni.
Finland’s Pihla Kaivo-Oja was quarter-finalist at the Kielce 2021 AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships and she impressed at the Strandja Memorial Tournament last month. The Finnish light flyweight (50kg) talent had better tempo than Ireland’s Caitlin Fryers and earned her nation’s first medal in Porec. Her teammate, their No.1, Vilma Viitanen succeeded too, she defeated Turkey’s Esra Ozyol in the quarter-finals of the featherweight (57kg) which means the Finnish duo are semi-finalists.
France’s AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships silver medallist Sthelyne Grosy is a fantastic talent who joined to the U22 national team with strong expectations in Porec. The French featherweight (57kg) boxer expected a hard battle against Denmark’s Melissa Mortensen following her preliminary success. The 19-year-old French had impressive footwork from the first seconds and she could win all of the three rounds against the best Danish female boxer.
Germany’s Jenin Heck eliminated her Hungarian opponent first in the preliminary round of the women’s lightweight (60kg) and after that success, she met with Czech Republic’s Veronika Gajdova in the last eight. Her Czech opponent was bronze medallist at the Kielce 2021 AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships but Gajdova could not use her distance well due to Heck’s impressive work which she has done in all of the three rounds. Following the German triumph, Armenia’s Elida Kocharyan won another lightweight (60kg) quarter-final, stopping Finland’s Suvi Tujula.
Hungary’s Luca Hamori was bronze medallist in the last 2021 edition of the EUBC U22 European Boxing Championships therefore her target is to reach the final of the welterweight (66kg). The Hungarian talent was too strong for Turkey’s Berfin Polat in the first round and her powerful shots were decisive in the second round. Another promising boxer of this weight class, Latvia’s Beatrise Rozentale managed her tactical contest and defeated Serbia’s Nikolina Gajic.
