Kazakhstan’s 18-year-old Nadezhda Ryabets won the gold at the Volnova Prizes Women’s Tournament in Astana which was her debut among the elite boxers

The fifth and final competition day was held in the Volnova Prizes Women’s Tournament in Kazakhstan’s capital city in Astana. Kazakhstan claimed eight gold medals in the event but Ukraine’s two successes are also strong performance in Astana. Kazakhstan’s 18-year-old Nadezhda Ryabets won her first elite tournament defeating all of her rivals in Astana.
Astana hosted the 2016 edition of the AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships and the 2010 ASBC Asian Confederation Women’s Boxing Championships. The Volnova Prizes Women’s Tournament is a new event in the international boxing map and many top nations used it as preparation and selection for the upcoming Bangkok ASBC Asian Confederation Boxing Championships.

Kazakhstan’s Alua Balkybekova did revenge in the final of the light flyweight (48kg)
Kazakhstan’s Alua Balkybekova eliminated Mongolia’s 19-year-old Mungunsaran Balsan in the semi-final of the Volnova Prizes Women’s Tournament and she prepared to her final well enough against the main national rival, Aigerim Kasenayeva. Balkybekova was member of the national elite team in 2017 but she lost to Kasenayeva last year therefore she was motivated to do revenge in their spectacular final. Both boxers knew each other well enough but the gold medal was taken by Balkybekova this time. The final verdict was split decision to the 22-year-old Balkybekova who is aiming for a place in their squad at the upcoming ASBC Asian Confederation Boxing Championships.

Kazakhstan’s Nazym Kyzaibay defeated Ukraine’s Rio 2016 Olympian Tetiana Kob in the final of the flyweight (51kg)
Kazakhstan’s star Nazym Kyzaibay was two-time AIBA Women’s World Champion at the light flyweight (48kg) in 2014 and in 2016. She is trying to reach the same strong results at the Olympic flyweight (51kg) but she failed to get any medal in the Jakarta 2018 Asian Games last August. The Kazakh boxer eliminated Mongolia’s AIBA Women’s Junior World Boxing Championships bronze medallist Enkhjargal Munguntsetseg in the semi-final and met with Ukraine’s Rio 2016 Olympian Tetiana Kob. Kyzaibay had the technical advantage and her style was uncomfortable for the experienced Ukrainian in their final.

Ukraine’s Ivanna Krupeniya shocked Kazakhstan’s AIBA Women’s World Champion Dina Zholaman in the final of the bantamweight (54kg)
Kazakhstan’s Astana 2016 AIBA Women’s World Champion Dina Zholaman was successful during her road to the finals in the Volnova Prizes Women’s Tournament. The 27-year-old bantamweight (54kg) boxer eliminated one of her main national rivals Rano Parkhatova and another one AIBA Women’s Youth World Champion Balaussa Muzdiman of Almaty Region in the semi-finals. Zholaman moved forward from the first seconds against Ukraine’s Ivanna Krupeniya in their final contest. Her experienced Ukrainian rival used her longer reach and counter-attacking style successfully and surprisingly she was able to beat Zholaman in their home environment.

Kazakhstan’s Saniya Sultankyzy claimed the gold medal of the featherweight (57kg)
Kazakhstan’s Saniya Sultankyzy was member of the national team in 2014 and following a few years of unsuccessful attempts she regained her place in the squad last year. The Jakarta 2018 Asian Games quarter-finalist featherweight (57kg) boxer is an Astana-based boxer and she felt the support of the home crowd in the final of the event. Sultankyzy, who eliminated Ukraine’s Iulia Tsyplakova in the semi-final, was hungry for her next success and dominated her fight against Dametken Kelimbet. Kazakhstan’s 19-year-old talent Vladislava Kukhta earned bronze medal in Astana but proved her strong future potential.

Rimma Volosenko won the dream final at the lightweight (60kg) in Astana
Rimma Volosenko represented Team Kazakhstan in the Astana 2016 AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships and also at the Jakarta 2018 Asian Games. She won many international events in the recent three years and she was too strong for Mongolia’s AIBA Women’s Youth World Boxing Championships bronze medallist Namuun Monkhor in the semi-final of the lightweight (60kg). Following her success she had to meet for the title with the favourite, New Delhi 2018 AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships bronze medallist Karina Ibragimova. Volosenko exceeded the expectations and her technical skills were highly enough to reduce the fighting distance which was the key of the success and major upset of the Volnova Prizes Women’s Tournament.

Kazakhstan’s Nadezhda Ryabets won her first elite international tournament at the middleweight (75kg)
Kazakhstan’s Nadezhda Ryabets was AIBA Women’s Junior World Champion, ASBC Asian Youth Champion and she claimed bronze medal at the Buenos Aires 2018 Youth Olympic Games. The 18-year-old boxer eliminated another teenage talent ASBC Asian Women’s Youth Champion Guzal Sadykova in the semi-final of the middleweight (75kg). The Kostanay-based Ryabets dominated her final against Kazakhstan’s New Delhi 2018 AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships competitor Aida Ondash. Ryabets attended in her first ever international elite tournament and she won the title eliminating her rivals by large margin of differences.

List of the winners in the Volnova Prizes Women’s Tournament
48kg: Alua Balkybekova, Kazakhstan
51kg: Nazym Kyzaibay, Kazakhstan
54kg: Ivanna Krupeniya, Ukraine
57kg: Saniya Sultankyzy, Kazakhstan
60kg: Rimma Volosenko, Kazakhstan
64kg: Maria Badulina-Bova, Ukraine
69kg: Bayan Akbayeva, Kazakhstan
75kg: Nadezhda Ryabets, Kazakhstan
81kg: Fariza Sholtay, Kazakhstan
+81kg: Lazzat Kungeibayeva, Kazakhstan

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