Poland’s Elsbieta Wojcik Excels On Semi-Finals Day In Sofia – by Michael O’Neill
To complete our daily updates from Sofia here we bring you – courtesy of aiba.org – a review of the rest of the day’s highlights in the women’s events.
” Semi-final day is always special in sport, and it was no exception today in AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships, as the finalists were secured for tomorrow’s gold medal matches.
All of the semi-final athletes secured their minimum target in Sofia, which was to qualify for the Nanjing 2014 Youth Olympics, and the contests today decided the brightness of the medals.
Bout of the day Elzbieta Wojcik had a close bout against US teenage star and London 2012 Olympic Champion Claressa Shields in the final of the AIBA Women’s Youth World Championships in Albena last September, which set her up as a favourite for gold in Sofia.
Her semi-final opponent here was Chinese Taipei’s current AIBA Junior World Champion Chen Nien Chin.
Wojcik was too strong for her rival, and the 18-year-old Middleweight class (75 kg) boxer showed just why she has only lost two contests in her entire career. Her punches were hard and sharp, and she deserved her victory. She goes on to fight for the gold against Australia’s Brandenburg Youth Cup winner Caitlin Parker, who eliminated US youngster Martha Fabela in her semi-final.
Ones to watch Armenia’s AIBA Women’s Junior World Championships silver medallist Anush Grigoryan represents a new generation of boxers for her country, and the 17-year-old Flyweight class (51 kg) boxer dominated all three rounds against Kazakhstan’s Alua Balkibekova, and advanced to the final where she will meet AIBA Junior World Champion Irma Testa.
US teenage hope, the AIBA Women’s Junior World Championships gold medallist Jajaira Gonzalez eliminated the biggest favourite for the gold in Sweden’s AIBA Youth World Champion Agnes Alexiusson in the quarter-finals, marking her out as one to watch in the Lightweight class (60 kg).
The 17-year-old faced Ukraine’s AIBA Junior World Champion Anhelina Bondarenko in the semi-finals. The two engaged in a competitive, fiery battle which was ultimately won by the American.
Her final opponent will be Turkey’s Esra Yildiz, who triumphed over Italy’s Monica Floridia.
Stat of the day – Male/Female A record number of sixteen nations were able to get at least one final place in the AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships in Sofia.
Kazakhstan leads this ranking with four finalists, with the United States of America and Croatia having three finalists.
Cuba, Russia and Uzbekistan each have two boxers remaining for the final competition day.
Quote of the day “I feel great here in the AIBA Youth World Championships, and I believed before the event that I could win the gold medal in Sofia. I am very happy that I could beat one of my main rivals in the semi-final, so my target is not so far away,” said Poland’s Elzbieta Wojcik after her victory over Chinese Taipei’s Chen Nien Chin.
Tomorrow’s program The highlight of the competition is the gold medal bouts, and they occur tomorrow in the final competition day of the AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships, with thirteen gold medal bouts and five further box-offs taking place.
(source: aiba.org)
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