Four hundred and ten bouts and counting! That’s the staggering tally of matches already fought in the Boxing Road to Paris 1st World Qualification Tournament, currently underway in Busto Arsizio, Italy. With over 600 athletes representing 113 National Olympic Committees (NOCs), alongside competitors from the Boxing Refugee Team (BRT) and Independent Neutral Athletes (AIN), the stakes couldn’t be higher as they vie for a coveted spot at the Olympic Games Paris 2024.
From March 3 to 11, the E-Work Arena has become the battleground for these determined boxers, each one striving to punch their ticket to Paris. As preliminary bouts unfold, athletes are giving their all to secure one of the 49 Paris 2024 quota places up for grabs. Tomorrow, the tension reaches its peak in one of the 13 weight categories, as the first two quota places will be awarded in the women’s 60kg class, with a third to be decided in a thrilling box-off on March 11.
In line with the Paris 2024 Boxing Unit’s primary mandate and to focus on the athletes and their road to Paris, boxers will only compete until the quota places are distributed, and no medal matches and medal ceremonies will be staged.
With the action heating up, the tournament will culminate in the quarterfinals across all weight categories (4 quota places available in each), except for the women’s 57kg division, which advances to the semifinals (2 quota places available), and the women’s 60kg category, where three quota places are on offer, as mentioned.
In the today’s evening session, fans witnessed the completion of the Round of 32 in the Women’s 50kg and Men’s 57kg classes, as well as the Round of 16 in the Women’s 57kg category.
The excitement continues tomorrow, March 9, with two sessions scheduled at 13:00 and 19:00 (CET).
Stay tuned for all the latest results, drawsheets, and schedules on boxing.athlete365.org, and catch the action live on the Olympic Channel at https://olympics.com/en/sport-events/2024-boxing-1st-world-qualification-tournament-busto-arsizio