Jaafar Ismaiel defended his title in the Syrian Youth National Championships

The Syrian Youth National Championships was held in Latakia which is one of the most important regions in the country’s boxing life. Among the titleholders only Latakia’s 18-year-old Jaafar Ismaiel was able to defend his throne in the Syrian Youth National Championships where two Army boxers as Farouq Juneideh and Kenan Ali won the heaviest weight classes in the selection event.

Syria is one of the leading boxing nations in the Western Asian region and their boxers shined many international events in the recent years. Their best year was 2017 when Syria claimed medals in the Tashkent 2017 ASBC Asian Boxing Championships and also at the Islamic Solidarity Games. Syria’s younger talents competed in the recent editions of the ASBC Asian Youth Boxing Championships with a few successes.  

Boxers who were born in 2002 and in 2003 were able to compete in the Syrian Youth National Championships which were their first activities in 2020. The Syrian Youth National Championships was a selection event for them before the Arab Youth Boxing Championships which will be held in Cairo, Egypt next month.

The first winner of the Syrian Youth National Championships was Omar Habra of Hama who defeated Zualfaqar Ghafar of Student Boxing Club in the final of the light flyweight (49kg) and continued his pathway of his elder brother. Mohamed Sayed of Aleppo captured the gold medal of the national event at the flyweight (52kg) following his close success over Salman Al-Batah of Latakia.

Mohamed Zouhir Al-Shakran won the second gold medal for the historical city of Aleppo after beating a local hero, Youhaa Saleh of Latakia at the bantamweight (56kg). Haydar Al-Assali claimed Latakia’s first title in the Syrian Youth National Championships following his success over Omar Fadil of Aleppo at the lightweight (60kg).

Abdulhadi Nakhach achieved the first gold medal for Damascus but he had to do his very best against Qunetra’s Khoder Al-Bittar in the final of the light welterweight (64kg). Latakia’s big favourite Jaafar Ismaiel won the Syrian Youth National Championships in 2019 and he repeated that strong performance in the front of the home crowd. The 18-year-old Ismaiel did not give any chance to his rivals including Zeinal Abdin Dawaa taking his second Syrian youth national title. 

Damascus’ second title was taken by Mouhdi Shilah at the middleweight (75kg) triumphing over Army’s Ali Mahfouz who claimed second-in-a-row silver medal after the 2019 edition. Student Boxing Club’s lone title was earned by Haydaraa Abdulrahman who defeated Zualfaqar Al-Ali of Homs in the final of the light heavyweight (81kg).

Army’s Farouq Juneideh surprised the defending champion Hama’s 18-year-old Mohamed Khalid Al-Kharatt with his tough punches in the final of the heavyweight (91kg). Army’s second gold medal was delivered by their favourite Kenan Ali following his strong performance against Tartous’ Mohamed Zenab.

 List of the winners in the Syrian Youth National Championships
49kg: Omar Habra
52kg: Mohamed Sayed
56kg: Mohamed Zouhir Al-Shakran
60kg: Haydar Al-Assali
64kg: Abdulhadi Nakhach
69kg: Jaafar Ismaiel
75kg: Mouhdi Shilah
81kg: Haydaraa Abdulrahman
91kg: Farouq Juneideh
+91kg: Kenan Ali

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