Ireland achieved record number of 18 medals in the EUBC European Confederation Schoolgirls & Schoolboys Boxing Championships
11 August 2019The next part of the quarter-finals with 52 bouts were held at the fourth competition day of the EUBC European Schoolgirls and Schoolboys Boxing Championships in Georgia’s capital in Tbilisi today. Ireland achieved record number of 18 medals in the event where the Georgians, the Ukrainians, the Armenians, the Hungarians and the English boxers all earned several strong successes on Day4.
Altogether 30 nations are attending in the EUBC European Schoolgirls and Schoolboys Boxing Championships and several of these young talents have already international experiences. Boxers who were born in 2005 and in 2006 are eligible to attend in the event where 13 girls and 20 boys will be crowned among the participating 78 schoolgirls and 238 schoolboys.
The following 30 nations are taking part in the EUBC European Schoolgirls and Schoolboys Boxing Championships: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, England, Estonia, Finland, host Georgia, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Kosovo, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Moldova, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Scotland, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Turkey and Ukraine.
Bout of the day
Ireland sent a big team to the EUBC European Schoolgirls & Schoolboys Boxing Championships where their boxers reached already record number of 18 guaranteed medals in Tbilisi. Following their male captain Roy Colgan marched to the semi-finals, their Laurence Connors had seriously tough job against Netherlands’ lone boxer in Tbilisi, Sven Cuppen. The St. Mary’s Dublin boxer found the best fighting distance in the first round but his Dutch opponent also responded those attacks with jabs. In the battle of the southpaw boxers the Irish talent was slightly better in that game and followed his 17 teammates to the semi-finals capturing at least a bronze medal in Tbilisi.
Surprise of the day
Finland’s top future hope Diar Sarsenbayev amazed the crowd with his excellent footwork on Day3 but he was not able to repeat that performance today. Diar, whose coach is his father, did not find the best fighting range against Israel’s newcomer Abdel Jawad Abdel Raouf and in the final round he looked more tired than his opponent. Israel’s 14-year-old boxer surprisingly defeated Finland’s No.1 and advanced to the semi-finals of the bantamweight (48kg) in Tbilisi.
The Round-Up
Ukraine’s Oleksandr Levchenko won all of the rounds in each scorecard against Italy’s Paolo Coletta and marched to the semi-finals of the semi-bantamweight (46kg). His teammate Hlib Hryhorian had a closer bout in the quarter-finals but he managed to win his challenge and eliminated Ireland’s Thornhill O’Reilly at the light featherweight (50kg). Ukraine’s next guaranteed medal was achieved by Bohdan Cheldyk who had a seriously tough bout against Belarus’ Uladzislau Kuzneatsou at the light welterweight (56kg).
The Georgians had tough jobs in the afternoon session against experienced Irish and Ukrainian rivals but both of their young hopes followed the well-built strategy successfully. Luka Tsuleiskiri had one of the narrowest fights of the whole competition day but finally his hand was raised and bowed out Ireland’s Kai Ducque at the light pinweight (38.5kg). His compatriot and friend Gia Mitagvaria also eliminated a favourite in Tbilisi where he launched enough punches to beat Ukraine’s Savelii Suprunets.
Hungary’s Krisztofer Petrovics arrived to Tbilisi from the city of Szeged where he began his boxing career with top coaches. The 14-year-old Hungarian did not have an easy job against Italy’s Angelo Di Luggo but his stamina was enough in the final round to eliminate his experienced rival at the light featherweight (50kg). Another Hungarian boxer Geza Olah had rapid attacks in the quarter-final against Turkey’s Ahmet Pekel and advanced to the semi-finals of the light pinweight (38.5kg).
The Armenians are always strong in the smaller categories and their Schoolboys National Champion Davit Safaryan triumphed over a gold medal contender Ukraine’s Danylo Vorontsov at the light pinweight (38.5kg). Artur Mkrtchyan also took his success in Ring B on Day4 when he eliminated Georgia’s Saba Sinauridze at the light welterweight (56kg). Armenia’s third-in-a-row success was taken by Garik Antanosyan after beating Lithuania’s Erik Kovalevskij at the light middleweight (65kg).
Croatia has got strong hopes in the higher weight classes in this EUBC European Schoolboys Boxing Championships as well. Mateo Pejic knew his Hungarian opponent well from previous dual matches and training camps and handled the tactical task successfully on Day4. The 14-year-old Croatian was better in the exchanges and eliminated Rinaldo Balogh at the light heavyweight (76kg).
