Davlat Boltayev is Tajikistan’s first Olympic medallist in boxing after 12 years

Tajikistan’s Davlat Boltayev is their first Olympic medallist in boxing since Mavzuna Chorieva’s bronze in the London 2012 edition. The Tajik heavyweight (92kg) boxer eliminated his Irish opponent in the Paris Olympics today and he is now a guaranteed medallist.

Thirteen weight categories, 248 top boxers, 124 female and 124 male athletes from 69 nations will compete in the boxing event of the Paris Olympics.

Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Thailand, China, Chinese Taipei, India, the Philippines, Tajikistan, Jordan, Mongolia, South Korea, DPR Korea, Japan, Vietnam, Kyrgyzstan and Palestine will have boxers in the Olympic Games from the Asian continent.

China’s Wu Yu knew her Indian opponent, the two-time Women’s World Champion Nikhat Zareen well enough and her coaches built up a superb strategy in their Round of 16 battle. The Asian Games winner Chinese was quick, she landed the great shots from her safest distance and she eliminated one of the main rivals already in the preliminary stage.

Thailand’s World bronze medallist Chuthamat Raksat defeated almost all of the boxers who are participating in the Olympic Games and she has a great chance to achieve something great in Paris. The 31-year-old Thai controlled the exchanges from her safest distance against Uzbekistan’s young Sabina Bobokulova and she also joined the last eight at the women’s light flyweight (50kg).

Kazakhstan’s two-time World Champion Nazym Kyzaibay opened her campaign successfully in Paris and she continued her winning path on Day6. The Kazakh was too quick for Brazil’s Caroline De Almeida in the first and second rounds and Kyzaibay had the chance to save some fuels for her key quarter-finals.

China’s Asian Games winner Chang Yuan and Bulgaria’s Stanimira Petrova both are fantastic boxers but the first won their quarter-final bout at the bantamweight (54kg) for the medal. The next Asian medal in this weight class was achieved by DPR Korea’s former World Champion Pang Chol Mi who had a clear success over Morocco’s Widad Bertal today.

Thailand’s Janjaem Suwannapheng, the World silver medallist, used her strength to eliminate DR Congo’s Brigitte Mbabi in the Round of 16 at the women’s welterweight (66kg). Uzbekistan’s Navbakhor Khamidova caused a small surprise in this weight class today when she eliminated United States’ tough Morelle McCane by 3:2 split decision.

Chinese Taipei’s former World Champion Chen Nien Chin and Brazil’s Barbara Maria Dos Santos both moved down to the welterweight (66kg) due to the Paris Olympics. Chen felt the distance from the first seconds and she overcame the veteran Brazilian in the attacks successfully to secure her place in the last eight.

South Korea’s Im Ae Ji competed at the Tokyo Olympic Games and she arrived to Paris in much better shape with more experiences. She moved back to the bantamweight (54kg) which paid off in the Olympic quarter-final as well where she boxed over her level and defeated for the medal Colombia’s World silver medallist Yeni Marcela Arias.

The men’s heavyweight (92kg) delivered two Asian medals in Paris, firstly Uzbekistan’s Lazizbek Mullojonov defeated Brazil’s Keno Machado in a final-level bout. Secondly, Tajikistan’s Asian Games winner Davlat Boltayev bagged the Olympic medal after his success over Ireland’s Jack Marley.

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