Netherlands’ Alicia Holzken celebrated a successful comeback at the Nations Women’s Cup
26 January 2022The 11th edition of the Nations Women’s Cup opened with twelve contests in the first day of boxing in Sombor, Serbia. The event always hosts in the month of January and together with the Tammer Tournament, it opens the new year. Kazakhstan’s Rimma Volosenko, England’s Jodie Wilkinson and Serbia’s Natalia Shadrina made impressive performance in the first day. Netherlands’ Alicia Holzken returned to the world of boxing with an outstanding success and proved she could be a strong weapon for her country in 2022.
There are events for the elite, youth, junior and also schoolgirl boxers in Sombor, Serbia therefore the interest is huge in the competition. The boxers can prepare for the IBA Women’s World Boxing Championships, EUBC U22 European Boxing Championships and EUBC Youth European Boxing Championships in this Nations Women’s Cup.
Boxers who were born between 1982 and 2003 are eligible to attend in the elite part of the Nations Women’s Cup in Sombor. The 2004 and 2005 born boxers can compete in the youth part of the competition, the younger 2006 and 2007 age groups are the junior athletes in 2022. The youngest 2008 and 2009 born boxers can attend in the schoolgirls part of the Nations Women’s Cup and starts their international career.
The safety of all participants, the continuous medical checks, the social distancing, the hygienic preparations, the vaccines control, wearing masks and all of the health controls are the responsibility of the local organizers in Serbia to avoid any new Covid-19 cases during the 11th Nations Women’s Cup.
The bout of the day
Kazakhstan’s ASBC Asian Champion Rimma Volosenko is one of the favourites for the gold medal at the women’s elite lightweight (60kg) but she could not expect an easy start in Sombor. The 30-year-old experienced boxer met with England’s AIBA Youth World Champion Gemma Richardson in a final-level bout on Day1. Volosenko used her energetic style of boxing in the first round and she was also smart against the 20-year-old English girl. Volosenko not only used her long hands to keep the distance but she stopped Richardson in the third round with superb attacks.
The surprise of the event
England’s Jodie Wilkinson competed in their National Championships in 2019 and she joined to their elite squad only in 2021 after her strong preparations. The English girl moved down from the middleweight (75kg) to the welterweight (66kg) and she arrived to Sombor to increase her international experiences. Wilkinson not only made her debut but she was able to beat Norway’s No.1, Madeleine Angelsen in a strong battle and caused a sensation with her effectiveness and new level of boxing.
The Round-up
Netherlands’ Alicia Holzken had fantastic results as junior and youth boxer during her career and after a long break she decided to return to the world of boxing. Holzken claimed bronze medal at the 2011 AIBA Women’s Junior World Boxing Championships in Turkey and after a strong preparation she proved her energetic style of boxing at the Nations Women’s Cup on Day1. The 25-year-old Dutch girl was too strong and quick for Greece’s Chrysoula Plea and won her contest at the elite bantamweight (54kg).
Wales’ Zoe Andrews had just joined to the elite and U22 age groups this January and she impressed in the first day of boxing during her debut. The 18-year-old Welsh girl was better in all of the three rounds than Slovakia’s Kristina Orszaghova and won their contest by unanimous decision. Russia’s EUBC European Women’s Youth Champion Anastasia Kirienko had a teenage rival, Czech Republic’s Claudia Tothova in the same weight class and she managed to win that contest.
Natalia Shadrina won at least one dozens of international tournaments during her career representing Russia but she switched to Serbia in 2020. The experienced boxer controlled the first round against Bosnia & Herzegovina’s EUBC European Youth Boxing Championships bronze medallist 19-year-old Tara Bohatjuk and she was still able to increase her tempo in the second. Shadrina was too experienced for the young Bosnian girl and advanced to the next stage of the competition.
