BOXING: Australia will be represented by a high quality team when the Women’s World Boxing Championships get underway in South Korea this weekend.
The event is the final World Championship for the year in an Olympic sport and an important pathway event for the five Australian women who have the Rio Olympics as the ultimate goal.All girls come into the Championships in top form following a successful training camp with the Brazilian women’s team at the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra.
The team comprises Victoria’s Lauren Camilleri (48kg) and Kristy Harris (51kg), Cherneka Johnson (54kg) from Queensland, and two fighters from New South Wales - Shelley Watts (60kg) and Kaye Scott (75kg).
Watts won the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow this year and is looking to improve on her top 8 finish from the 2012 World Championships. Scott also placed in the top 8 at the 2012 World Championships in China.
Johnson has the experience of the past three World Championships in her young career and Harris was top 8 at the Commonwealth Games and this is the second time she takes on the world’s best.Camilleri, 24 from Melbourne, will make her World Championship debut following her performance at the selection trials to be awarded the boxer of the tournament.
Boxing Australia’s President Mr Ted Tanner said when the Team was announced, “I believe that this team is one of the strongest that will have left Australian shores. Small in numbers but of high quality".
Boxing Australia’s Head Coach Mr Kevin Smith said, "This is the biggest event for the year for the female boxers. The World Championships is the pinnacle and we are sending a team that we believe is capable of providing Australia with its first medal since 2002 (Desi Kontos at 2002 World Championships in Turkey).”
Women’s Boxing made its Olympic debut at the London 2012 Games, with Naomi Fischer-Rasmussen placing ninth.For Rio 2016 there will be 12 quota places available for Women in the Fly (48-51kg), Light (57-60kg) and Middle (69-75kg). The crucial qualification period is February –April 2016.
The Management Team for the World Championships in South Korea is Head Coach Kevin Smith, Assistant Coach Kelvin Bryant and Team Manager Julia Felton.
AOC with Boxing Australia
