Cirkovic, Grosy, Hickey and O’Rourke are on the European top

Sara Cirkovic, Sthelyne Grosy, Sacha Hickey and Lisa O’Rourke earned their gold medals at the EUBC European U23 Boxing Championships in Sofia, Bulgaria.

Turkey’s Nurselen Yalgattekin won the first final in Sofia, she had a tough job against Ireland’s Carleigh Irving at the minimumweight (48kg). Serbia’s Kristina Nadj-Varga progressed a lot this year and she defeated Poland’s Youth World silver medallist Natalia Kuczewska in the second final of the event.

Ukraine’s Daria-Olha Hutarina was not the main favourite of the flyweight (52kg) before the start of the competition but she impressed against Turkey’s Gamze Soguksu and she reached her career highlight with the gold medal. The second Ukrainian gold was achieved by Natalia Merinova at the welterweight (66kg) in Sofia.

Serbia’s Sara Cirkovic, the Paris Olympian and the European Elite Champion, eliminated Ireland’s Robin Kelly in the semi-finals of the bantamweight (54kg) and she was able to beat England’s European Youth Champion Lauren Mackie as well.

France’s Sthelyne Grosy won the Enrique Rodriguez Cal Memorial before the Sofia event and she succeeded against a Paris Olympian, Montenegro’s Bojana Gojkovic at the women’s featherweight (57kg).

Ukraine’s Tetiana Dovhal marched to the final at the lightweight (60kg) but she was defeated by Armenia’s Elida Kocharyan in one of the tightest finals of the day. The tall Sacha Hickey defeated the European Elite Champion, Kristina Kuluhova of Serbia, and she achieved England’s lone female gold medal.

Ireland’s World Champion Lisa O’Rourke made a great comeback to the top level of boxing and she dominated her light middleweight (70kg) final against Belarus’ Darya Letsko. Turkey’s reigning champion Busra Isildar and Ukraine’s Iryna Lutsak bagged the next two titles in the championships.

Moldova’s Daria Kozorez was not only the main favourite for the gold medal at the heavyweight (+81kg) but she accomplished her goal against Turkey’s Seyma Duztas.