Justin Parina and his coaching team celebrate a hard fought win at the Canadian Olympic Qualifiers. Photo Credit: Virgil Barrow
Celebrating Boxing Day 2019 With The Champions Of Boxing Ontario
Article by: Kaitlyn Clark | Team Manager
Photos by: Virgil Barrow Photography
Last week, the best boxers from across Canada congregated in Montreal, Quebec. Their Goal; To battle it out in the ring, determine who would be crowned Champion and receive a shot at being named to the Boxing Canada Olympic Qualifier Team.
Twenty-two athletes from Boxing Ontario qualified to compete at the event, and what we lacked in experience, we made up for in heart and determination. Of the 22 athletes, only 3 were on the current Canadian National Team, and the bulk majority of competitors on the squad were relatively new to the National stage; this however, did not deter our young athletes from laying it all on the line. Team Boxing Ontario had athletes competing in 12 of the 13 possible weight categories.
By weeks-end, Ontario had 10 athletes competing in 9 of the 13 championship bouts; 1 of which was an all-Ontario final between Moe Zawadi and John-Michael Bianco!
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Moe Zawadi (red corner) and John-Michael Bianco receive the final instructions before competing for their spot on the Canadian Olympic Qualifier team.
After an intensely emotional night which saw 13 boxers realize a dream and clinch a spot on the Canadian Olympic Qualifier Team, and 13 boxers have their goal slip through their fingers and come up just short, Ontario managed to come away with our biggest medal hull in recent history.
Of the 13 weight categories in contention, Ontario boxers snagged 6 gold medals; meaning we won 50% of the weight categories in which we had boxers competing in – a first for Boxing Ontario in many years!
Athletes from Ontario also managed to come away with 4 silver medals and 5 bronze medals.
At the end of the competition, the Boxing Ontario Provincial Coaching Team named 75kg Jaquan Carty the Best Boxer of the tournament. Carty is relatively new to the boxing scene with less than 30 bouts to his name – however, what he lacks in experience he makes up for in boxing IQ, which was evident in the absolute clinic he put on in each of his 3 bouts. Most notably, Carty knocked off the defending Canadian Champion, Nickenson Denis, in his semi-final fight by utilizing quick, angled attacks and a solid guard.
Boxing Ontario sends a huge CONGRATULATIONS out to all the boxers who represented our Province last week in Montreal and we can’t wait to see what the future has in store for you all!
Special thank you to our Team Ontario Provincial Coaching staff for orchestrating a top-notch training camp prior to the competition, and for ensuring an athlete-centered competition was had – without coaches like you, none of this would be possible.
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Boxing Ontario’s own, Mandy Bujold, is on the journey to her second Olympic Games. Mandy first qualified and competed at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games for Canada.
MEET THE BOXING ONTARIO OLYMPIC QUALIFIER TEAM
Team Ontario Provincial Coaching Staff:
- Socrates Celestial – Head Coach
- Rey Morales – Coach
- Noel Clubb – Coach
- Rick Cadihla – Coach
- Kaitlyn Clark – Team Manager
Team Ontario Athletes and Medal Standings:
GOLD MEDALS ?
- Mandy Bujold – 51kg
- Justin Parina – 52kg
- Jaquan Carty – 75kg
- Melinda Watpool – 75kg
- John-Michael Bianco – 81kg
- Aaron Huggins – 91+kg
SILVER MEDALS ?
- Leo Kamara – 57kg
- Spencer Wilcox – 63kg
- Moe Zawadi – 81kg
- Satwinder (Sunny) Thind – 91kg
BRONZE MEDALS ?
- Jack Hemmings – 52kg
- Sara Buzcek – 60kg
- James Hughes – 69kg
- Nikita Abbott – 69kg
- Marvin Ude – 91kg
QUARTER FINALISTS ⭐️
- Garinder Takhar – 51kg
- Ian Parina – 52kg
- Austine Bayani – 57kg
- Rebecca D’Agostin – 60kg
- Jahangeer Faquiry – 63kg
- Jynelle Bourne – 69kg
- Jason Antoine – 91kg
