Russia’s team captain Natalia Shadrina won her debuting contest in the Ulan-Ude 2019 AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships

The Ulan-Ude 2019 AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships continued with its second competition day in Russia where preliminary contests were in the official schedule. Russia’s Natalia Shadrina have been waiting for 10 years to represent her nation in a big event and her debut was a success on home soil.

The following 24 European nations are attending in the Ulan-Ude 2019 AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships in Yekaterinburg: Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, England, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Lithuania, Moldova, Monaco, Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Russia, Scotland, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine and Wales.

Bout of the day

Russia’s Natalia Shadrina, who lives in Ulan-Ude, replaced Rio 2016 Olympic Games bronze medallist and Jeju 2014 AIBA Women’s World Champion Anastasia Beliakova in the national team at the lightweight (60kg). The 29-year-old Russian was named as team captain of the Russian team who felt the support of the home crowd. The local boxer was motivated from the first seconds against Algeria’s tall Imane Khelif and used world class footwork to control their contest. Shadrina ruled the middle of the ring and reduced the fighting range successfully from the first round but Khelif also had a few good jabs. The Algerian was not an easy opponent for Shadrina but the experienced Russian managed to win her opening fight delighting the day.  

Surprise of the day

Ireland’s Ceire Smith defeated Australia’s Commonwealth Games silver medallist Taylah Robertson on Day1 which was a surprise. Her teammate Christina Desmond continued Ireland’s winning path and she also defeated a high-ranked boxer in Ulan-Ude. The Irish welterweight (69kg) boxer had strong fighting spirit against England’s Jeju 2014 AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships silver medallist Sandy Ryan and her strong punches delivered a success for Desmond.  

The Round-Up

Turkey’s Busenaz Surmeneli is two-time EUBC European U22 Champion who started her campaign against Australia’s Astana 2016 AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships silver medallist Kaye Scott. Former AIBA Women’s Youth World Champion Surmeneli moved down to the welterweight (69kg) which was her best decision this year. The 21-year-old Turkish boxer had a great defence in the second round and her left-handed hooks were dangerous to the Aussie veteran. The Turkish boxer impressed once again in the third round when she landed more than 10 clear shots which reached the target area therefore Surmeneli advanced to the next round in Ulan-Ude. 

Germany’s Ursula Gottlob was involved to the national team in 2018 when she lost most of her international contests. The German increased her experiences in the New Delhi 2018 AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships and competed at the bantamweight (54kg) this time. Gottlob had a younger rival Armenia’s Anahit Aroyan who did not find the best fighting range in their contest. The German won her first fight in Ulan-Ude proving that hew new division is better option for her. 

Switzerland’s Sandra Brugger is a 38-year-old veteran who claimed silver medal already in the 2007 edition of the European Women’s Boxing Championships. The Swiss lightweight (60kg) boxer is still on top form and her experiences delivered for her a place in the next preliminary round. Brugger controlled the middle of the ring against Indonesia’s 17-year-younger Huswatun Hasanah who claimed bronze in the Jakarta 2018 Asian Games. The Swiss veteran was technically and tactically better than her Indonesian rival and the judges picked her as the winner of the bout.