The British boxing team for the second Olympic qualification event has been chosen, while Cindy Ngamba will represent the Fair Chance refugee team.
Three GB boxers have already won places at the Paris Olympic Games this summer and now a squad of 10 has been selected for the second qualifier that runs from March 4-11 in Busto Arsizio in Italy.
Elise Glynn and Jack Dryden, both featherweights, as well as Kiaran MacDonald, Shona Whitwell and Taylor Bevan, all went to the first qualifier last year and have been given a second chance to win a place at Paris 2024.
Cindy Ngamba won an impressive gold medal at the GB Open in Sheffield
The standard they will have to reach to qualify though will be high. Dryden, MacDonald and Taylor need to make it to the semi-finals to win an Olympic berth. Whitwell would have to finish in the top three and Glynn needs to make it to the 75kgs final.
At this World Qualification Event, open to boxers from every region across the globe, that is a demanding task.
Other boxers have broken through onto the international side for the first time. Light-middleweight Lewis Richardson, Patris Mughalzai at 63.5kgs and heavyweight Pat Brown, seized the No 1 spots in their divisions due to impressive performances at the recent World Boxing Cup: GB Open.
Richardson has come through in a particularly competitive weight class, after dropping down from 75kgs to 71kgs.
Savannah Stubley will look to make a mark at 50kgs and Chantelle Reid will be the GB middleweight.
Cindy Ngamba, who trains with the Great Britain squad, also goes at 75kgs, representing the Fair Chance refugee team.
GB Boxing’s performance director, Rob McCracken, said: “We have strength in depth in quite a few weight categories, so it is always difficult selecting teams for Olympic qualifying events, which are hugely significant for the boxers.
“But we have analysed their recent performances and gone with boxers whose form and fitness indicate they have a good chance of qualifying at the next event.
“Qualifying for an Olympic Games in boxing is very tough and, while we expect our boxers to perform well in Italy, previous experience shows that we are likely to send boxers to the third and final qualifier,” he continued.
“So those that have not made it this time need to continue to work and train hard and make sure they are ready to take the opportunity, if or when we come to select boxers for the final qualifier.”
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Olympian Delicious Orie was given the last word following an interview with Sky Sports, and used the opportunity to jokingly call out Anthony Joshua
This will be the second qualifying opportunity for boxers from Great Britain after last summer’s Europe Qualification Tournament at the European Games in Krakow, where three members of the GB Boxing squad – Charley Davison (54kgs), Rosie Eccles (66kgs) and Delicious Orie (92&kgs) – secured places at Paris 2024.
The third and final qualifying opportunity for boxers to make it to Paris will be held in Bangkok, Thailand, from May 26 to June 2.
Fifty-nine places at Paris 2024 are on offer at this event in Italy, which will be overseen by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
IBA, the sport’s previous governing body, has been expelled from the Olympic movement and the IOC will run the boxing tournament at the Paris Olympics. However, the sport has been left off the programme for the next Games in 2028 and will have to fight to save its Olympic status.