GB Boxing have announced their team for the European Games in Krakow, boxing’s first Olympic qualification event ahead of Paris 2024.
The boxing tournament at the European Games begins on June 23 and will be the first opportunity to win a place at the Summer Olympics in France next year.
Olympic qualification is beginning at a time of unresolved turmoil in the sport. Boxing’s future in the Olympics is hanging by a thread. The International Olympic Committee has left boxing off the programme for the 2028 Games due to long-running concerns with governing body IBA and the judging scandals that have plagued the sport.
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A new international Boxing federation has been launched by a collection of leaders from national federations across the world, including Great Britain, in a bid to ensure that boxing remains an Olympic sport.
That eventually prompted the formation of new breakaway group World Boxing, backed by countries including Great Britain, that hopes to replace IBA as the international federation, gain recognition from the IOC and restore boxing’s place in the Games.
Britain is one of the countries that boycotted IBA’s men’s and women’s World championships and GB boxers have had to prepare themselves by entering other tournaments on the international circuit.
GB had an outstanding squad at the Tokyo Games, winning six medals in total, the best tally for a British Olympic boxing team in a century.
But the only returning Olympian in this European Games’ squad is Charley Davison, the Lowestoft mum of three who has moved up to 54kg.
“Selection is always a daunting and nervy time because you train so hard in the lead-up to it, so I am just grateful to have been given this opportunity. It will be my first European Games so I want to enjoy every moment and make sure I box to the best of my ability and make sure all the hard training pays off,” Davison said.
Charley Davison qualified for the Tokyo Olympics in the last cycle
“Having been to an Olympics, I have had a taste of what it is like, so it makes me strive to get that chance again and this time go one step further and get a medal. I believe I am more than capable of getting myself on that podium now I have that experience from Tokyo and other international tournaments I’ve been to in the last few years.
“The European Games is the first step towards that so it will just be about getting in the ring, being myself and boxing naturally and then hopefully the qualification will come with that.”
GB’s group of six women boxers also includes 2022 Commonwealth Games gold medalist Rosie Eccles at 66kg, Demie Jade Resztan, who won silver at Birmingham 2022, at 50kg, Elise Glynn at 57kg, Shona Whitwell at 60kg and Kerry Davis at 75kg.
Wales’ Eccles said: “To be able to go out there and have a chance to qualify for the Olympics, which is only a year away, is really exciting. It’s what I’ve been aiming for since the age of eight years old so to qualify for the Games in Krakow would be amazing and a dream come true.”
The seven men selected include 2022 European gold medalist Harris Akbar (71kg) and three Birmingham 2022 gold medalists in Delicious Orie (92kg), Lewis Williams (92kg) and Scotland’s Reece Lynch (63.5kg), who also won a World bronze medal in 2021.
Orie won the Commonwealth Games in front of his hometown crowd.
They are joined by Kiaran MacDonald (51kg) and Taylor Bevan (80kg), who both won silver at the 2022 Commonwealth Games.
An exciting newcomer to the side, Jack Dryden (57kg) completes the men’s team.
Scotland’s Reese Lynch said: “It felt brilliant to be selected for the European Games and I’m so excited to get out there. When I came to GB Boxing, becoming an Olympian was the aim so to now have the chance to make that a reality and win my first European medal would be pretty special.
“Over the last 18 months I have been to some major competitions as well as some intense training camps and with that comes the opportunity to test yourself against some of the very best from all across the world. Having that exposure is only going to help me grow and develop as a boxer and I am sure it will help me going into the European Games.”
Ngamba to box for Fair Chance refugee team
Cindy Ngamba, who trains with the GB squad, will go to the European Games as part of the Fair Chance refugee team.
Ngamba was born in Cameroon but grew up in Britain. She has been given refugee status and is trying to resolve her citizenship so she can ultimately represent GB, whose coaches and support staff will work with her at these European Games.
Cindy Ngamba will box at the European Games for the Fair Chance team (Photo: Andy Chubb/GB Boxing)
“I’m grateful to GB because if it wasn’t for them the refugee team would not have been able to find me to give me the scholarship to help me and travel around and go to training camps with GB,” she previously told Sky Sports.
“To stand on the stage with my medal and to say that I competed for my country, I won a medal for my country. That is the most beautiful thing.
“That’s my dream. All I have to do is just keep working hard.”