The boxing tournament of the III European Games in Krakow-Malapolska has reached its final phase. Today (July 1) and tomorrow (July 2), the gold medal matches of all 13 weight categories will take place under the spotlights of the Nowy Targ Arena.
319 athletes from 42 European countries (plus the European Refugee Team) arrived here to compete from June 23 to July 02, aiming for the coveted European Games titles and the 44 Paris 2024 Olympic Quota Places up for grabs. This tournament serves as the first leg of the Boxing Road to Paris qualifying series.
Today, the gold medal matches for Women’s 54kg, 60kg, 66kg, and Men’s 51kg, 63.5kg, 80kg, and 92kg took place.
Bulgaria’s Stanimira Petrova secured the first gold medal of the tournament in the Women’s 54kg event. Petrova, who had previously won a featherweight title at the 2019 European Games, once again proved to be one of the most formidable boxers in her class. She advanced in the tournament by defeating Great Britain’s Charley-Sian Taylor Davison and Ukraine’s Anastasiia Kovalchuk with two perfect 5-0 scores, leading her to the final against Romania’s Lenuta Lacramioara Perijoc. In the gold medal match, she dominated her opponent, earning 10/9 scores across all three rounds and finishing atop the podium.
In the Women’s 60kg event, Kellie Harrington (IRL) claimed the gold medal, solidifying her position as the woman to beat in her category on the road to Paris 2024. The Tokyo 2020 Olympic and 2022 European champion from Ireland outscored Serbia’s Natalia Shadrina in a tense bout. Although Round 1 ended with the two athletes nearly tied, Harrington turned Round 2 in her favor and secured an unanimous decision win with a strong performance in Round 3.
Turkie’s Busenaz Surmeneli added the missing medal to her trophy showcase as she claimed gold in the Women’s 66kg weight class at the European Games. The 2020 Olympic Champion, two-time World Champion, and reigning Mediterranean Games champion dashed Belgium’s hopes by outscoring Oshin Derieuw with a commanding 5-0 score. Surmeneli led throughout all three rounds without hesitation, convincing all five judges. With a quota place secured and all regional, continental, and international titles in her books, she is now heading full steam to the Paris 2024 Games as the athlete to beat.
In the Men’s 51kg category, France’s Billal Bennama defeated Samet Gumus (TUR) with a score of 4-1, concluding his European Games journey atop the podium after a hard-fought gold medal match. Throughout the tournament, the 25-year-old boxer showcased great skills and determination, earning three 5-0 decisions and shining on the road to Paris 2024.
It took another French boxer, Sofiane Oumiha, eight years and three attempts before reaching the highest step of the European Games podium. The Rio 2016 silver medalist outscored Georgia’s Lasha Guruli 4-1 points in the Men’s 63.5kg category today, claiming the brightest medal in his third participation in the continental Games. In both 2015 and 2019, he reached the final but walked away with a silver medal. This time, the 28-year-old athlete secured a hard-fought victory with a stellar performance in Round 3, cementing his name among the category’s top contenders on the pathway to Paris.
In the quickest round of the day, it took less than two rounds for Ukraine’s Oleksandr Khyzhniak to defeat Croatia’s Gabrijel Veocic in the Men’s 80kg gold medal match. The 27-year-old from Poltava clearly won Round 1, forcing his opponent into a standing count at 2:15 into the round and earning four 10/9 scores and one 10/8 from the judges. Round 2 didn’t even reach its natural end as the referee stopped the contest at 1:33 after counting Veocic for the second time. Khyzhniak, a Tokyo 2020 silver medalist, is no stranger to the European Games podium. In 2015, he won bronze at the inaugural edition in Baku, and in 2019, he finished atop the podium, entering the III European Games in Krakow-Malapolska as the defending champion.
Italy’s Aziz Abbes Mouhiidine, arguably the most dominant boxer of this tournament, became the European Games champion in the Men’s 92kg weight class tonight by outscoring Ireland’s Jack Marley with a 5-0 decision. The 24-year-old Italian athlete, who had already claimed the first Olympic quota place in men’s boxing events for Italy in eight years, proved to be the best in the continent after winning the 2022 European championship. With his longer reach, the Italian controlled the rhythm of the match and kept his opponent at a distance. Moving around the ring with a dodge-and-hit style resembling the Cuban school, the 24-year-old dominated the bout and secured his first European Games title.
The boxing tournament of the III European Games will come to an end tomorrow, July 2, with the last six gold medal matches taking place from 13:00 (CET) at the Nowy Targ Arena. Stay tuned!
Results: https://results.european-games.org/EG2023/ENG/reports/BOX/all-event/
Photos: https://boxing.athlete365.org/boxing-road-to-paris-2024/europ-photo-galleries/
Videos: https://europeangames.tv/sports/boxing
III European Games Boxing Tournament Medal Standings, by Country (after 7 out 13 events finished)
| NOC | G | S | B |
| France (FRA) | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Turkie (TUR) | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| Irland (IRL) | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Italy (ITA) | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| Bulgaria (BUL) | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Ukraine (UKR) | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Belgium (BEL) | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Croatia (CRO) | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Georgia (GEO) | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Romania (ROU) | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Serbia (SRB) | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Great Britain (GBR) | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Hungary (HUN) | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Germany (GER) | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Poland (POL) | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Spain (ESP) | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Azerbaijan (AZE) | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Sweden (SWE) | 0 | 0 | 1 |
III European Games Boxing Tournament Medal Standings, by Event (after 7 out 13 events finished)
| Event | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Bronze |
| W 50kg | Final: July 02 | Final: July 02 | FUERTES FERNANDEZ Laura (ESP) | SORRENTINO Giordana (ITA) |
| W 54kg | PETROVA Stanimira (BUL) | PERIJOC Lenuta Lacramioara (ROU) | AKBAS Hatice (TUR) | DAVISON Charley-Sian Taylor (GBR) |
| W 57kg | Final: July 02 | Final: July 02 | WALSH Michaela (IRL) | TESTA Irma (ITA) |
| W 60kg | HARRINGTON Kellie (IRL) | SHADRINA Natalia (SRB) | MOSSELY Estelle (FRA) | OZER Gizem (TUR) |
| W 66kg | SURMENELI Busenaz (TUR) | DERIEUW Oshin (BEL) | HAMORI Anna Luca (HUN) | ECCLES Rosie Joy (GBR) |
| W 75kg | Final: July 02 | Final: July 02 | SCHOENBERGER Irina Nicoletta (GER) | WOJCIK Elzbieta (POL) |
| M 51kg | BENNAMA Billal (FRA) | GUMUS Samet (TUR) | MACDONALD Kiaran Bradley (GBR) | SERRA Federico Emilio (ITA) |
| M 57kg | Final: July 02 | Final: July 02 | USTUROI Vasile (BEL) | IBRAHIM Nebil Mahmud (SWE) |
| M 63.5kg | OUMIHA Sofiane (FRA) | GURULI Lasha (GEO) | CLANCY Dean (IRL) | KOVACS Richard (HUN) |
| M 71kg | Final: July 02 | Final: July 02 | TRAORE Makan-Vie (FRA) | ERDEMIR Tugrulhan (TUR) |
| M 80kg | KHYZHNIAK Oleksandr (UKR) | VEOCIC Gabrijel (CRO) | CAVALLARO Salvatore (ITA) | ALLAHVERDIYEV Murad (AZE) |
| M 92kg | MOUHIIDINE Aziz Abbes (ITA) | MARLEY Jack (IRL) | REYES PLA Enmanuel (ESP) | BEREZNICKI Mateusz (POL) |
| M +92kg | Final: July 02 | Final: July 02 | HERNANDEZ MOREJON Yordan Alain (BUL) | TIAFACK Nelvie Raman (GER) |
Paris 2024 Quota Places awarded (44 out of 44) at the European Games, by Event
| Event | Quota Place | Quota Place | Quota Place | Quota Place |
| W 50kg | Buse Naz Cakiroglu (TUR) | Giordana Sorrentino (ITA) | Laura Fuertes Fernandez (ESP) | Wassila Lkhadiri (FRA) |
| W 54kg | Charley-Sian Taylor Davison (GBR) | Stanimira Petrova (BUL) | Lenuta Lacramioara Perijoc (ROU) | Hatice Akbas (TUR) |
| W 57kg | Irma Testa (ITA) | Svetlana Kamenova Staneva (BUL) | Micahela Walsh (IRL) | Amina Zidani (FRA) |
| W 60kg | Kellie Harrington (IRL) | Estelle Mossely (FRA) | Gizem Ozer (TUR) | Natalia Shadrina (SRB) |
| W 66kg | Anna Luca Hamori (HUN) | Oshin Derieuw (BEL) | Rosie Joy Eccles (GBR) | Busenaz Surmeneli (TUR) |
| W 75kg | Davina-Myrha Michel (FRA) | Aoife O’Rourke (IRL) | Only 2 quotas available | Only 2 quotas available |
| M 51kg | Billal Bennama (FRA) | Samet Gumus (TUR) | Only 2 quotas available | Only 2 quotas available |
| M 57kg | Vasile Usturoi (BEL) | Javier Ibanez Diaz (BUL) | Nebil Mahmud Ibrahim (SWE) | Jose Quiles Brotons (ESP) |
| M 63.5kg | Dean Clancy (IRL) | Sofiane Oumiha (FRA) | Lasha Guruli (GEO) | Richard Kovacs (HUN) |
| M 71kg | Makan-Vie Traore (FRA) | Nikolai Terteryan (DEN) | Vakhid Abbasov (SRB) | Tugrulhan Erdemir (TUR) |
| M 80kg | Salvatore Cavallaro (ITA) | Oleksandr Khyzhniak (UKR) | Gabrijel Veocic (CRO) | Murad Allahverdiyev (AZE) |
| M 92kg | Jack Marley (IRL) | Aziz Abbes Mouhiidine (ITA) | Only 2 quotas available | Only 2 quotas available |
| M +92kg | Mahammad Abdullayev (AZE) | Delicious Justin Orie (GBR) | Only 2 quotas available | Only 2 quotas available |
Paris 2024 Quota Places awarded (44 out of 44) at the European Games, by Country
| NOC | # | Quota Places |
| France (FRA) | 7 | · Women’s 50kg: Wassila Lkhadiri, 28 June 2023 · Women’s 57kg: Amina Zidani, 28 June 2023 · Women’s 60kg: Estelle Mossely, 28 June 2023 · Women’s 75kg Davina-Myrha Michel (FRA), 30 June 2023 · Men’s 63.5kg: Sofiane Oumiha, 28 June 2023 · Men’s 71kg: Makan-Vie Traore, 28 June 2023 · Men’s 51kg: Billal Bennama, 30 June 2023 |
| Turkie (TUR) | 6 | · Women’s 54kg: Hatice Akbas, 28 June 2023 · Women’s 50kg: Buse Naz Cakiroglu, 28 June 2023 · Women’s 60kg: Gizem Ozer, 28 June 2023 · Women’s 66kg: Busenaz Surmeneli, 28 June 2023 · Men’s 71kg: Tugrulhan Erdemir, 28 June 2023 · Men’s 51kg: Samet Gumus, 30 June 2023 |
| Ireland (IRL) | 5 | · Women’s 57kg: Micahela Walsh, 28 June 2023 · Women’s 60kg: Kellie Harrington, 28 June 2023 · Women’s 75kg: Aoife O’Rourke (IRL), 30 June 2023 · Men’s 63.5kg: Dean Clancy, 28 June 2023 · Men’s 92kg: Jack Marley, 30 June 2023 |
| Italy (ITA) | 4 | · Women’s 50kg: Giordana Sorrentino, 28 June 2023 · Women’s 57kg: Irma Testa, 28 June 2023 · Men’s 80kg: Salvatore Cavallaro, 28 June 2023 · Men’s 92kg: Aziz Abbes Mouhiidine (ITA), 30 June 2023 |
| Bulgaria (BUL) | 3 | · Women’s 54kg: Stanimira Petrova, 28 June 2023 · Women’s 57kg: Svetlana Kamenova Staneva, 28 June 2023 · Men’s 57kg: Javier Ibanez Diaz, 28 June 2023 |
| Great Britain (GBR) | 3 | · Women’s 54kg: Charley-Sian Taylor Davison, 28 June 2023 · Women’s 66kg: Rosie Joy Eccles, 28 June 2023 · Men’s +92kg: Delicious Justin Orie, 30 June 2023 |
| Azerbaijan (AZE) | 2 | · Men’s 80kg: Murad Allahverdiyev, 28 June 2023 · Men’s +92kg: Mahammad Abdullayev (AZE), 30 June 2023 |
| Belgium (BEL) | 2 | · Men’s 57kg: Vasile Usturoi, 28 June 2023 · Women’s 66kg: Oshin Derieuw, 28 June 2023 |
| Hungary (HUN) | 2 | · Women’s 66kg: Anna Luca Hamori, 28 June 2023 · Men’s 63.5kg: Richard Kovacs, 28 June 2023 |
| Serbia (SRB) | 2 | · Women’s 60kg: Natalia Shadrina, 28 June 2023 · Men’s 71kg: Vakhid Abbasov, 28 June 2023 |
| Spain (ESP) | 2 | · Women’s 50kg: Laura Fuertes Fernandez, 28 June 2023 · Men’s 57kg: Jose Quiles Brotons, 28 June 2023 |
| Croatia (CRO) | 1 | · Men’s 80kg: Gabrijel Veocic, 28 June 2023 |
| Denmark (DEN) | 1 | · Men’s 71kg: Nikolai Terteryan, 28 June 2023 |
| Georgia (GEO) | 1 | · Men’s 63.5kg: Lasha Gurul, 28 June 2023 |
| Roumania (ROU) | 1 | · Women’s 54kg: Lenuta Lacramioara Perijoc, 28 June 2023 |
| Sweden (SWE) | 1 | · Men’s 57kg: Nebil Mahmud Ibrahim, 28 June 2023 |
| Ukraine (UKR) | 1 | · Men’s 80kg: Oleksandr Khyzhniak, 28 June 2023 |
