Amazing day for Thailand in the opening of the Buenos Aires 2018 Youth Olympic Games
The first competition day of the Buenos Aires 2018 Youth Olympic Games was held in the Argentinean capital where five of our Asian promising stars won their contests. Thailand represented the Day1 with three boxers and after their amazing preparations all of their won their contests in Buenos Aires.
Following the tough qualification process which were held in each continent between April and June the selected 28 women and 55 men boxers will be attending in the Buenos Aires 2018 Youth Olympic Games. Among them the 17 Asian boxers including 6 women and 11 men talents are focusing to the medals of the boxing event. Afghanistan, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Thailand and Uzbekistan received the right among the Asian nations to compete in the Youth Olympic Games.
Thailand’s ASBC Asian Youth Champion Sukthet Sarawut had to meet in the quarter-finals of the men’s flyweight (52kg) with another Asian hope Afghanistan’s 18-year-old Mohammad Sultan Naeemi. The 17-year-old Thai boxer, who is at least a medal favourite in Buenos Aires, controlled the first round against his Afghan rival. Sarawut knocked down Naeemi twice in the second round and won their contest by large margin of differences taking Thailand’s first historical success in the Youth Olympic Games.
Uzbekistan’s Timur Merzhanov claimed gold medal in the St. Petersburg 2015 AIBA Junior World Boxing Championships also in the Tashkent 2015 ASBC Asian Confederation Junior Boxing Championships. Since then the 18-year-old Uzbek talent achieved silver in the Bangkok 2018 ASBC Asian Confederation Youth Boxing Championships. Merzhanov started slowly against Iran’s Seyed Sajad Mousavi Paeindezaei but he used his longer hands more effectively from the second round. Merzhanov won their key quarter-final bout and advanced to the semi-finals of the light heavyweight (81kg) in Buenos Aires.
Kazakhstan’s AIBA Women’s Junior World Champion and ASBC Asian Women’s Youth Champion Nadezhda Ryabets did not attend in the Budapest 2018 AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships and she was fully focused to the Youth Olympic Games. The 18-year-old Kazakh middleweight (75kg) boxer moved ahead without any stoppage and caught her first Polish rival Natalia Gajewska in the opening round. Ryabets continued her powerful performance and dominated their bout winning it by unanimous decision.
Thailand’s Weerapon Jongjoho is the defending ASBC Asian Youth Champion at the men’s middleweight (75kg) but he was not the favourite against Italy’s EUBC European Youth Champion Naichel Millas. The 17-year-old Thai talent knocked down his Italian rival in the first round and that moment determined the bout. Jongjoho exceeded the expectations and won their important key contest by split decision in Buenos Aires which means Thailand’s pride can box in the semi-finals against Brazil’s Keno Marley Machado.
Thailand’s third boxer who impressed in the first competition day of the Buenos Aires 2018 Youth Olympic Games was Panpatchara Somnuek who had to meet with the main favourite of the women’s featherweight (57kg) as first at the quarter-final. The 17-year-old Thai talent had difficulties in the first round against Slovakia’s three-time EUBC European Champion Jessica Triebelova but she found her best rhythm in time. Somnuek landed powerful combinations and the referee counted her top European rival three-times which meant Thailand’s new sensation won the bout by RSC causing a surprise in Buenos Aires.
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