Members of Canada’s Youth national boxing team, including several athletes from Ontario, are participating in a U19 training and selection camp hosted by Boxing Canada in Victoria, BC from July 4-14, 2024.

The purpose of the camp is to select athletes to represent Canada at the 2024 U19 World Boxing Championships in October and to bring together top Canadian Youth talent to train with domestic and international partners, including members of Germany’s U19 national team. The camp will conclude with a Canada vs. Germany live-streamed competition presented by Champ Promotions.

The Ontario athlete attending this camp are:

  • Elijah Aspilla (50 kg) – Knockout Brampton
  • Madeline Handfield (51 kg) – Waterloo Regional Boxing Academy
  • Jade Delgado John (51 kg) – Beaver Boxing
  • Victoria Vergos (57 kg) – Oakville Boxing Academy
  • Jackson Cook (70 kg) – Bland’s Boxing Club
  • Jarelyn Castillo Jimenez (75 kg) – Border City Boxing Club
  • Abigail Purdie (75 kg) – Waterloo Regional Boxing Academy
  • Parminder Pannu (75 kg) – The Boxing Lab

All Youth gold medalists from the 2024 Youth & Junior Canadian Championships were eligible to attend the U19 training and selection camp. Boxing Canada also extended the invitation to a number of athletes who demonstrated superior skill but did not achieve a gold medal placement at this year’s Youth Nationals.

Daily boxing training and sparring takes place at Island Boxing and Forge Gym in downtown Victoria.

Throughout the U19 camp and Canada vs. Germany competition, athletes will continuously be assessed on their “winning style, technical, tactical, physical, and psychological ability, and readiness to compete at the U19 World Boxing Championships,” as per Boxing Canada’s Selection Criteria.

All athletes in the U19 camp will be assessed for an eventual invitation to represent Canada at the U19 World Boxing Championships, with potential box-offs occurring for athletes in the same weigh division.  

The U19 camp was made possible by the significant contributions of 94 Forward. “We are the living legacy of the 1994 Commonwealth Games hosted by the city of Victoria, British Columbia. In August of this summer, it will be 30 years since the Games. Our organization is building a generation of talent in specific sports by leveraging the assets of Victoria (climate, facilities, and human capital) through to the LA Olympics and beyond,” said 94 Forward President John MacMillan. Ontario athletes Elijah, Madeline, Victoria, Jarelyn, and Parminder were selected to receive a bursary courtesy of 94 Forward.

The Canada vs. Germany competition will take place on Saturday, July 13, 2024 at 6pm Pacific (9 pm ET). The live-stream broadcast and show tickets can be purchased at Champ Promotions’ website.


If you would like to submit photos from U19 Camp, please email [email protected]