The medal places were decided at the 8th European Women's Boxing Championships in Rotterdam with only 40 boxers now remaining in the competition. A record number of 16 nations secured at least a bronze with Russia and Ukraine leading the team ranking with seven medals each, while Turkey, Poland and England each have four boxers left in the competition.
AIBA Women's World Championships quarter-finalist Lynsey Holdaway was ruthless against Hungary's Anita Bode, with the Welsh Boxam Tournament winner emphatically beating her opponent 21:2. Holdaway securing in the process her first ever medal at a major championship.
Poland's 32-year-old AIBA World Champion and two-time European Champion Karolina Michalczuk has been involved with her national team since 2003 and is competing in her sixth European Championships. For her place on the podium, Michalczuk defeated Sweden's Shipra Engelke.
29-year-old two-time AIBA World Championships silver medallist Nicola Adams also advanced to the semi-finals of the Olympic Flyweight category as the Englishwoman defeated Norway's Nordic Champion Marielle Hansen. The Norwegian had been impressive during the preliminaries rounds in Rotterdam but Adams was too strong.
Russia's European Championships silver medallist Yelena Savelyeva advanced to the Bantamweight last four after overcoming the challenge of Germany's Elena Walendzik with an impressive 19:8 victory. Savelyeva will now meet Turkey's EU Champion Ayse Tas.
Another Russian boxer, Nikolayev Ladies Cup winner Viktoriya Gurkovich from Orenburg did battle with Poland's EU Championships silver medallist Sandra Kruk. This Featherweight contest ended in a close 13:11 win for Gurkovich.
Two-time AIBA World Champion Sofya Ochigava of Russia is one of the great stars of the competition and she confirmed her status by convincingly eliminating Poland's AIBA World Championships bronze medallist Karolina Graczyk 14:3. Ochigava's main rival, Ireland's three-time AIBA World Champion Katie Taylor also progressed as she triumphed over Azerbaijan's former Russian National Champion Ayzanat Gadzhiyeva 17:4.
Turkey's big gold medal contender, Gulsum Tatar bulldozed her way past French National Champion Laetitia Chevalier and advanced to the last four in the Light Welterweight category. Armine Sinabian, Swedish National Champion, decided to switch allegiance to the country of her ancestors and following her victory over Bulgaria's Margarita Chaneva, she secured Armenia's first ever medal.
Veteran Dutchwoman Marichelle de Jong is the local favourite and she successfully booked her place in the semis by eliminating Germany's last competitor in the competition, newly crowned National Champion Nadine Apetz. De Jong's stunning 21:8 victory will have delighted the crowds and she will now meet Katarzyna Furmaniak who unexpectedly stopped Russia's Irina Poteyeva.
Defending 24-year-old EU Champion Nouchka Fontijn of Netherlands secured her nation's second medal at these championships. In her Middleweight bout, she came back from a point deficit after the first round to win against two-time AIBA World Champion Maria Kovacs of Hungary.
Russia's 33-year-old current AIBA World Champion Nadezhda Torlopova moved down to the Middleweights this year and was too strong for Sweden's former AIBA World Champion Anna Laurell.
Hungary's only medallist in Rotterdam will be AIBA World Championships bronze medallist Timea Nagy. She dominated her fight against Ireland's Lauragh O'Neill in the Heavyweight category and won the contest 16:7. Nagy will now meet Russia's 19-year-old AIBA World Championships quarter-finalist Svetlana Kosova in the semi-finals.
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