Heartbreak again in Retallack Games bid
GOLD Coast’s biggest hard luck story is adding another chapter, with boxer Jess Retallack set for another Commonwealth Games omission.
Four years after narrowly missing out on a place in Glasgow, Retallack lost a 3-2 split points decision in the 64kg division against Swedish-born Anja Stridsman in Sydney on Saturday night.
The decision raised some eyebrows but regardless Retallack’s defeat will be a bitter pill given she came close to 2014 Commonwealth Games selection as well as 2016 Rio Olympics qualification.
The news was better for fellow Gold Coast pugilist Skye Nicolson.
A bronze medallist at the 2016 World Championships, Nicolson booked her debut Games ticket after a solid win over Bernadette Connors in the women’s 57kg division.
Also qualifying for Gold Coast 2018 are Olympian Jason Whateley and World Championship medallist Kaye Scott.
Former junior world champion Clay Waterman, and Youth Olympic Games bronze medallist Caitlin Parker also won their weight divisions at the Croatian Club.
The two biggest names missing from the squad will be 2014 Glasgow gold medallist Shelley Watts and Glasgow silver medallist and World Championship bronze medallist Joe Goodall.
Watts failed to make the qualifying weight for this week’s selection trials, while Goodall was beaten in his super heavyweight semi-final by Victorian Toese Vousiutu.
The 13 winners in the Commonwealth Games weight divisions are now set to be nominated by Boxing Australia to the 2018 Australian Commonwealth Games team.