Sara Kos claimed gold medal at the Balkan Boxing Championships

The Croatian capital, Zagreb is the host of the Balkan Boxing Championships where the first part of the women’s finals and the men’s semi-finals were in the official program. Natalia Shadrina represented her new country, Serbia and won her semi-final against Greece’s Nikoleta Pita. The host nation’s experienced woman boxer, Sara Kos was successful in her final and claimed gold medal for Croatia.

Antalya was the host of the last 2019 edition of the Balkan Boxing Championships where 11 nations competed for the medals. The idea of the Balkan Boxing Championships returned to the boxing map in December 2019 and after a short break the new edition began in Zagreb, Croatia for the region’s best boxers.

The safety of all participants, the continuous medical checks, the social distancing, the hygienic preparations, wearing masks and all of the health controls are the responsibility of the local organizers in Croatia to avoid any new Covid-19 cases during the Balkan Boxing Championships. The Technical Delegate of the Balkan Boxing Championships is Mr. Henrik Tavio of Finland.

The bout of the day

Natalia Shadrina was quarter-finalist in the Ulan-Ude 2019 AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships after several international tournament successes. The Russian lightweight (60kg) boxer switched to Serbia and represents her new nation in the Balkan Boxing Championships. The 30-year-old boxer met with a dangerous and energetic rival, Greece’s Nikoleta Pita in the last four. The best Greek female hope used her speed in the contest to land punches in their high rhythm battle. Shadrina had to increase the tempo in the second round and her experiences delivered for her a place in the final. Shadrina’s final opponent will be Croatia’s Nations Women’s Cup winner Marija Malenica in Zagreb.

The Round-Up

Albania’s former EUBC European Youth Boxing Championships bronze medallist Rexhildo Zeneli decided to return to the international competitions in the recent months. The 25-year-old boxer moved up to the light welterweight (64kg) since his last international tournament and impressed in Zagreb. The Albanian eliminated Serbia’s Nenad Jovanovic on Day1 and continued his winning path in the semi-finals of the Balkan Boxing Championships. Zeneli defeated North Macedonia’s Jasim Ljama and will be meeting for the gold medal with Kosovo’s Shpetim Bajoku who had a clear triumph over Slovenia’s Nik Nikolov Veber.

Vladimir Mironchikov competed in several Russian national events but he was not able to win titles in his homeland therefore he decided to switch to Serbia to show his potential. The light heavyweight (81kg) boxer is a new Serbian star who was the favourite against Kosovo’s 21-year-old Besart Pireva in the semi-finals. Mironchikov controlled most of the exchanges and he is ready to take the title of the Balkan Boxing Championships against Croatia’s Matej Uremovic who bowed out Slovenia’s Gregor Staresinic.

Croatia’s tough Sara Kos moved up to the light welterweight (64kg) and proved her best once again, this time in Zagreb. The Croatian competed at the Belgrade Winner Tournament with successes two weeks ago and she continued her participation in the international stage. Kos faced with Serbia’s Jelena Janicijevic in the final of the Balkan Boxing Championships and claimed the gold medal in her homeland.