The 1st World Qualification Tournament, hosted at the E-Work Arena in Busto Arsizio, commenced its morning session with intensity, showcasing 26 thrilling matchups. Among the highlights of the session were the allocation of the first two coveted Paris 2024 quota places in the Women’s 60kg event. This tournament serves as a stage in the qualification process, offering a total of 49 Paris 2024 qualification slots across 13 weight categories (7 men’s event and 6 women’s event).
In the Women’s 54kg class, spectators witnessed a display of skill and dominance as Serbia’s Sara CIRKOVIC faced off against Nigeria’s Shukura KAREEM. Cirkovic showcased her prowess, securing a commanding 5:0 victory with a full scorecard of 10/9 from all judges in each of the three rounds. Similarly, Thai Olympian Jutamas JITPONG delivered a near-flawless performance against Japan’s Mikoto HARADA, claiming a unanimous decision victory and advancing in the tournament brackets.
Moments later, the crowd of the E-Work Arena was treated to an intense bout between USA’s Shera Mae PATRICIO and Argentina’s Sofia Micaela ROBLES. Despite the Argentinian initial dominance in the first round, Patricio showed resilience and brilliant tactical skills to secure a commanding 5:0 victory.
One of the most highly anticipated matches of the morning session unfolded in bout #413 of the Women’s 60kg event, as the Netherlands’ Chelsey HEIJNEN entered the ring to face off against Slovakia’s Miroslava JEDINAKOVA for the first Olympic quota place up for grabs.
HEIJNEN displayed a combination of precise footwork and calculated blows to gain an early advantage over her opponent. JEDINAKOVA, however, proved to be a formidable adversary, matching HEIJNEN’s intensity with her own aggressive tactics. With a hard-fought 4-1 victory, HEIJNEN emerged triumphant, earning the coveted pass for Paris 2024.
Alessia MESIANO (ITA) and Donjeta SADIKU (KOS) entered the ring in the semifinals of the Women’s 60kg event, each vying for the coveted quota place at stake. The intensity of their clash was palpable from the outset with MESIANO, representing Italy, managing to edge ahead by a narrow margin. Into the second round, SADIKU from Kosovo, mounted a formidable counterattack, seizing the advantage with three judges awarding her a score of 10/9 and two scoring 9/10. In the third round, both boxers left nothing to chance, pouring their hearts into every punch exchanged. However, it was the boxer from Kosovo who ultimately emerged victorious, clinching a hard-fought 3:2 split decision win and securing her ticket to the Olympic Games.
The morning session also witnessed outstanding performances from Cindy NGAMBA of the Boxing Refugee Team, who secured a decisive victory over Korea’s SUYEON SEONG in the Women’s 75kg round-of-16, prompting the referee to stop the contest in round two.
In the Men’s 92kg division, Uzbekistan’s Lazizbekullojon MULLOJONOV delivered sensational combinations against Kevin KUADJOVI from Togo, securing a resounding 5:0 unanimous decision victory. Meanwhile in the same weight category, Spain’s Enmanuel REYES PLA showcased his dominance against Jordan’s ODAI ALHINDAWI in their round-of-16, displaying an aggressive strategy that proved too much for his opponent to handle.
In the Men’s +92kg weight category, a closely contested bout unfolded between Martin McDONAGH of Ireland and DANIS LATYPOV of Bahrain. Both boxers showcased impressive performances, unleashing powerful punches in a display of skill and determination. Latypov secured narrow advantage in the first and second rounds, earning the judges’ favor by the slimmest of margins. In the decisive round, McDonagh, representing Ireland, turned the tide in his favor, but despite his efforts, he fell short as Latypov maintained his resilience. Ultimately, the judges awarded Latypov a split decision victory by a margin of 3:2.
Cheered on by the home crowd, Diego LENZI (ITA) faced off against AYOUB GHADFA DRISSI EL AISSAOUI (ESP) in the final bout of the morning session, igniting the atmosphere at the E-Work Arena. Both boxers displayed remarkable skill and determination from the outset, initiating the match with exceptional attacking tactics. In the opening round, the Spanish boxer asserted his dominance, impressing the judges and securing a favorable score of four judges to one.
However, in the second round, Lenzi, representing Italy, elevated his performance, turning the tide in his favor by earning the approval of four out of five judges. With the momentum shifting in his direction, Lenzi maintained an aggressive strategy throughout the final round, delivering a series of incredible punches aimed at his opponent’s face. In the end, Lenzi’s emerged victorious via a narrow 3:2 split decision, much to the delight of the home fans. His strategic prowess and unwavering determination were evident throughout the bout, solidifying his status as a formidable contender in the tournament.
24 four additional electrifying bouts will be contested in today’s evening session scheduled at 20:00 (Italy local time) in Women’s 54kg, 66kg, 75kg as well as in the Men’s 63.5kg, Men’s 92kg and Men’s +92kg.
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
