WBAN Story: Estelle Mosselly crowned Queen of the Lightweights in Rio- by Michael O’Neill

(AUG 20)  Estelle Mosselly of France is the new 60kg Olympic Lightweight champion coming from behind to defeat China’s Yin Junhua on a split decision in Rio Friday.    It’s been a magnificent year for the French woman who also struck Gold in Astana at the 2016 Women’s World Championships earlier this year.    Team USA’s Claressa Shields will meet Nouchka Fontijn of the Netherlands in the 75kg middleweight final following semi-final bouts also on Friday.

London 2012 champion Claressa Shields, from Flint overcame the challenge of Kazakhstan’s Dariga Shakimova 3:0 in the first of the semi-finals whilst the doughty Dutch fighter came from behind to win a split 2:1 verdict over Chinese no.1 Li Qian.

Tomorrow sees the 51kg final between reigning champion Nicola Adams of the United Kingdom and another French woman, Sarah Ouramoune.

Adams defeated Ren Cancan of China in the first semi-final (3:0) whilst Ouramoune overcame a strong challenge from Colombia’s Ingrid Valencia 2:0.

We’ll bring you further news of these bouts including AIBA updates tomorrow together with Team USA’s report on how Claressa Shields reached her 2nd Olympic final ; it would be a ‘huge’ upset if she were to be defeated by the Dutch champion in Sunday’s final.

All the results, male and female here, from our friends at Strefa Poland Boxing:  amateur-boxing.strefa.pl/championships/olympicgames2016.html