The Queensland Amateur Boxing Club Team that recently flew to New Zealand to contest the Anzac Cup, ( Queensland vs New Zealand club teams ) came home with the trophy; winning 6 of the 10 bouts.
Of the 10 team members, five were from the Impact Club and of these four won their fights thus giving the local fighters, four wins in Queensland’s six victories. Coach/manager Mark Evans of Cooroy said, “We were very happy with the results and all our 10 fighters performed well. Winning the Cup on this trip means that Queensland has now won the last three tournaments.”
Highlight of the tournament was the performance of Paige Robinson of the Impact club. “This young lady at 14 has had 19 fights for 16 wins and despite her youth this tournament was her fourth International tournament outside Australia. This sort of experience is invaluable for someone so young and if she keeps performing like she is now she could go a long way; her brother Cohen aged 12 is also going strong with 15 fights to his credit,” said Coach Mark Evans. “Despite giving away age and weight Keana Welsh age 15 also had a good win.”
Perhaps the best news to come out of this trip is that a New Zealand team will be visiting us to contest the Annual Young Guns tournament. This event which is hosted by the Noosa District State High School at Cooroy, will be held in October this year and if previous tournaments are any indication it will certainly be a night to remember.
Last weekend with eyes on the future and that illusive Olympic gold, Boxing Australia’s, Queensland Future Coach, Mark Evans conducted a training camp for promising youth and junior members. This is just one part of an ongoing strategic plan to continue raising the standard in not just Queensland but also Australia. We wish Boxing Australia all the best.
Last week Australia’s 51kg National champion Taylah Robinson of Impact Academy was in Thailand with the Australian team to represent her country in the Kings Cup, one of amateur boxing’s biggest International events. Unfortunately sudden illness prevented her from competing
As a lead up to the tournament Taylah and her team mates have attended a 10 day multi training camp, training three times a day for 10 days.This type of training is essential if we are to get our athletes on to the podium at the Olympic Games.
When speaking of International training another local sport that aims at providing this for its athletes, is the Sunshine Coast Martial Arts Shotokan Karate Dojo. Situated on Gibson Road Noosa, 20 of its members will on August 13 depart for Japan where they will take part in heavy training seminars and a major international tournament under the World Shotokan Karate Federation. “Our team,’’ said Head Sensei (teacher) Bryan Dukas, “will train in Tokyo and the town of Kamakura”
This Dojo, which has recently received its International Shotokan Accreditation, will also on July 31, fly members to contest the AKF (Australian Karate Federation) National Championships in Tasmania. Sensei Bryan Dukas has also received his official accreditation, as an International Instructor, Examiner and A class judger; with the awarded being made by the World Shotokan Karate Federation.
On Saturday the dojo conducted a Black Belt grading session and interesting to note that of the nine pupils eight were female. Big well done to Ellie Nissen who received a dojo Black Belt after many years of hard training and also Garry Maher Black Belt who at age 76 received his Ni (2nd) Dan.
