Great Britain’s three finalists at the European Boxing Championships all came up short, each settling for silver medals after their defeats. Chantelle Reid and Abdul Burton both endured 5-0 losses in their respective divisions.
Reid, who earned silver at the Commonwealth Games, was overcome by Turkey’s Busenaz Surmeneli in the light-middleweight final. Reflecting on the match, Reid expressed satisfaction with her silver medal, though she had hoped for gold, praising her opponent’s skill and looking forward to a future rematch. She highlighted her strong performance across four tough fights and her gratitude for winning medals at major tournaments.
Meanwhile, 20-year-old Burton fell to Russian Viacheslav Rogozin in the men’s super-bantamweight final and showed emotion during his post-fight interview. Despite missing out on gold, Burton remained positive about claiming silver in his first major senior event, emphasizing the valuable experience gained from five challenging bouts and his transition from under-23 level to senior competition.
In the event’s last match, 21-year-old Commonwealth gold medallist Damar Thomas narrowly lost 3-2 to Russia’s David Surov in the men’s super-heavyweight category. Overall, Team GB sent 15 boxers to the championships, securing five medals but no golds. Notably, Callum Makin and Dimeji Shittu earned bronze medals earlier, while Irish boxer Lisa O’Rourke took gold in the women’s 80kg final.
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Fan Take: Although Great Britain missed out on gold, the strong performances and silver medals highlight the depth of talent coming through the ranks. This promising showing suggests exciting potential for future international competitions and bodes well for the growth of boxing in the UK.
Source: sports.yahoo.com
