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Bronze medalists confirmed in Nanjing

August 25th, 2014 / All

The consolation bouts have been decided at the Nanjing Youth Olympics, and we now know the bronze medal winners in the tournament.

Twenty-six bouts took place on the third competition day in Nanjing, with the stars of tomorrow performing with great style and success.

Team of the day
Turkey’s Neriman Istik has claimed many medals during her career, but she was not the favourite against Armenia’s AIBA Youth World Champion Anush Grigoryan in their bronze medal match.

Istik and Grigoryan both used an aggressive style of boxing, with plenty of attacks and a similar number of punches, which meant the the contest went down to the wire.

The final verdict was a split decision win for to the Turkish boxer which was a surprise victory for her in Nanjing.

Turkey’s second triumph on the third competition day was delivered by their youngest qualified athlete, Mehmet Ufuk Tekneci who is their new hope in the Light Heavyweight class (81 kg).

The 17-year-old Turkish boxer was a quarter-finalist in the AIBA Youth World Championships in Sofia, and Tekneci had to be at his very best against Norway’s lone qualified athlete in the Youth Olympic Games Vegar Tregren, and his effective punches were just enough to ensure he won the bout by split decision.

The third Turkish boxer to win was EUBC European Junior Continental Champion Adem Furkan Avci, who caused a real surprise in his bronze medal match.

The 18-year-old Light Welterweight class (64 kg) boxer faced Russia’s current AIBA Youth World Champion Bibert Tumenov, who was energetic and strong in the qualification event in Sofia.

Russia’s boxer was unable to repeat his previous performance, and Avci’s hand was raised after the final bell.

Surprise of the day
Japan’s Subaru Murata was an unknown boxer prior to the AIBA Youth World Championships, but he proved his skills in Sofia and qualified for the Nanjing Youth Olympic Games.

In his bronze medal bout he had to meet with Kazakhstan’s defending AIBA Youth World Champion Shalkar Aikynbay, who was disappointed after his loss to Azerbaijan’s Rufat Huseynov yesterday.

Aikynbay started their bout the better, but the Japanese Light Flyweight class (49 kg) boxer was able to use his height advantage in the second frame.

Murata, who trains with coach Ryouji Yonezawa in the Kishigawa High School, stepped on the gas and enjoyed his boxing against his world class rival, ultimately winning the fight, and the bronze medal.

Ones to watch
Australia’s Caitlin Parker won the Brandenburg Women’s Youth Cup in February, proving she is one of the best Middleweight class (75 kg) boxers at the youth level.

She then went on to claim a silver medal at the AIBA Youth World Championships in Sofia, where she was defeated by Poland’s eventual winner Elzbieta Wojcik.

The 18-year-old Australian was motivated in the bronze medal contest against Ireland’s Christina Desmond, winning every round of the fight and claiming the bronze medal for herself and for Australia.

Stat/Fact of the day
Thirteen medals were achieved by eleven nations in the third competition day of the Nanjing Youth Olympics in the Expo Centre Hall D.

Great Britain and Turkey were able to get two bronze medals in Nanjing, while Armenia, Australia, Croatia, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Sweden and Russia all achieved a podium place in the Games.

Tomorrow’s program
The finals of the three women’s weight classes will be held in the Nanjing Youth Olympic Games in China.

Women’s 51 kg: Irma Testa, Italy – Chang Yuan, China
Women’s 60 kg: Jajaira Gonzalez, United States – Ciara Ginty, Ireland
Women’s 75 kg: Elzbieta Wojcik, Poland – Chen Nien Chin, Chinese Taipei