No surprises as Canada’s Pan-American boxing stars dominate Olympic qualifier trials in Montreal

December 14th, 2015 / All

The Canadian Olympic Boxing Trials took over the Queen Elizabeth Hotel Ballroom in Montreal last week, with the five-day competition used to decide the ten male and three female boxers who will represent the country in next year’s Olympic qualifiers.

Among those with a strong chance of heading to Rio is 2015 Pan-American champion Arthur Biyarslanov, after he defeated Brandon Leaman in the light welterweight final.

“I came here to win but I wanted to do more and stop my opponent. It didn’t go that way but a win is a win. The Pan-American Games gave me a lot of confidence and I proved that I was among the best fighters in the world. I believe I can make the podium at the Olympic Games,” said Arthur Biyarslanov after the trials.

The 17 year-old Thomas Blumenfeld took the flyweight place after dominating all three rounds against Evan Gillard in their final, while the experienced Commonwealth Games champion Samir El-Mais won the heavyweight category.

Canada’s top female boxer and Pan-American Games winner Mandy Bujold took a massive step towards Rio when she defeated Kim Klavel in the women’s flyweight final.

“I went through that experience three years ago when I didn’t qualify for London and I grew from it. It was the hardest thing i’ve had to deal with but it made me stronger. I made changes in my career, changed coaches and now I don’t leave anything to chance and I used this as a dress rehearsal for the big one, the Rio Olympic Games,” said Bujold.

Another Toronto 2015 gold medalist, Caroline Veyre, will go to the Rio qualifiers after defeating Sabrina Aubin-Boucher in the lightweight final, while double AIBA World Champion Ariane Fortin defeated Alison Greey to become the Canadian women’s team’s middleweight qualifier.

Full list of winners at the Canadian Olympic Trials

Women’s 51 kg: Mandy Bujold

Women’s 60 kg: Caroline Veyre

Women’s 75 kg: Ariane Fortin

Men’s 49 kg: Napper Todd

Men’s 52 kg: Thomas Blumenfeld

Men’s 56 kg: Kenny Lally

Men’s 60 kg: David Gauthier

Men’s 64 kg: Arthur Biyarslanov

Men’s 69 kg: Sasan Haghighat-Joo

Men’s 75 kg: Clovis Drolet

Men’s 81 kg: Petru Bulun