Seven out of the thirteen gold medals made available at the Olympic Boxing Test Event last week in London went to the British islands on Sunday. Five gold medals were won by Great Britain, while Ireland also secured two victories at the ExCeL.
Russian Olesya Gladkova won a gold medal at the 2005 Women's European Championships but since then, she didn't have too many occasions to show her talent in major competitions. The flyweight veteran won each of the four rounds against France's European Championships silver medallist, Sarah Ourahmoune and finally won the first gold medal in London by a clear 16:8.
Women's European Championships bronze medallist and Liverpool-based, Natasha Jonas had two points deficit after the first two minutes against two-time AIBA Women's World Boxing Championships silver medallist, Chinese Cheng Dong. But the local hope could turn back the lightweight fight and won the battle against her Asian opponent (16:10).
The host nation secured its second gold medal with AIBA Women's World Boxing Championships silver medallist, Savannah Marshall in the women's middleweight class. The 21-year-old local fighter defeated Asian Champion, Kazakh Dariga Shakimova by 13:10. The Great Britain's flag was therefore raised up again in front of the home crowd. Marshall is probably the host nation's biggest hope for the London 2012 Olympic Games.
In the first men's final, AIBA World Boxing Championships bronze medallist and Asian Games runner-up, 27-year-old Kazakh Birzhan Zhakipov fought against the Uzbekistan's top light flyweight youth fighter, Shakhobiddin Zoirov. The results table was showing 4:4 after the first three minutes, then Zoirov leading by a 12:11 before the final round. Zhakipov came back to his best level in the last round, turned back the fight and secured his gold medal in London.
In the flyweight final, current Asian Champion, 24-year-old Chinese Chang Yong met Southeast Asian Games winner, Thai Chatchai Butdee who has already secured his Olympic quota place in Baku. The 26-year-old Butdee was gold medallist at the last edition of the test event in Beijing four years ago. Thailand's star won each of the three rounds closely to finally secure his gold medal by beating his strong opponent by 14:10.
Athens Olympic Games silver medallist and Asian Games winner, 30-year-old Thai Worapoj Petchkoom should have had enough experience to achieve his golden dreams in London. But it was not counting on ten years younger Welshmen Sean McGoldrick who was silver medallist at the Commonwealth Games in Delhi last year. The final verdict of their bantamweight final went to McGoldrick by 14:10.
Former Youth European Champion and best British lightweight boxer, 20-year-old Martin Ward continued the host nation's winning series. He defeated European Championships bronze medallist, 24-year-old German Eugen Burhard by 10:5 and reached his best result at the elite level.
The only Scottish boxer of the British team was Commonwealth Games silver medallist Josh Taylor who fought against European Championships quarter-finalist, Swedish Anthony Yigit who has already secured an Olympic quota place. The talented boxers, both born in 1991, has developed well this year. Taylor guaranteed the host nation's fifth gold medal beating Yigit by 15:14 due to a great second round.
AIBA Youth World Champion and AIBA World Boxing Championships bronze medallist, 19-year-old Indian Vikas Krishan Yadav and current Asian Champion and Beijing Olympian , Chinese Maimaitituersun Qiong were supposed to meet in the welterweight final. But unfortunately, the Indian suffered a wrist injury and the Chinese star walked over to the gold.
Defending European Champion, Russian Maksim Koptyakov and Ireland's Conrad Cummings had an impressive bout in the middleweight final. Cummings paid tribute to Ireland's great boxing history by leading 3:2 after three minutes. But Koptyakov finally used all his talent to finally win the second Russian gold medal at the test event.
Ireland's second finalist was Beijing Olympic Games silver medallist, 29-year-old Kenneth Egan who met Brazil's WSB star Yamaguchi Florentino Falcao in the light heavyweight. The strong Irish competitor turned back the fight in the second three minutes to win the bout by a close 22:20.
Former Asian Champion, Kazakh Vasiliy Levit just missed the Olympic quota at the AIBA World Boxing Championships Baku 2011 where he advanced to the last eight but lost to Chinese Wang Xuanxuan. Levit acquired a second gold medal for Kazakhstan without any effort because his heavyweight rival, US Olympic Trials silver medallist Joseph Williams got a neck'injury.
Ireland's new super heavyweight No.1, EU Champion 22-year-old Con Sheehan dominated the last final in London against Greek Evgenios Lazaridis who caused a huge surprise in the semi-final by eliminating US Olympic Trials winner Lenroy Thompson. Sheehan did not leave any chance to his opponent and won the second Irish gold medal.
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