Boxer claims bronze medal
Having returned from the Commonwealth Youth Games with a bronze medal, Paihia boxer Kyle Chen already has his sights set on winning gold at next year’s Youth Olympics.
Chen,16, overcame a two-day stay in quarantine with a flu-like sickness and missed the opening ceremony before going on to claim a bronze in the 16-18 yearold 75kg male boxing competition.
‘‘The first couple of fights were hard but I felt 100 per cent by the last fight.’’
He was defeated in the semi final by the eventual gold medal winner, who was also two years older than Chen.
‘‘It was pretty good, but as a competitive person, gold would have been ideal,’’ Chen says.
‘‘It was one of the best times of my life - usually as a boxer you don’t get to go to multi-sport events.
‘‘Hopefully I get to experience it again with the Youth Olympics and then the real Olympics.’’
Chen says is ultimate goal is to win gold at the Tokyo Olympics in 2020, he would be 19.
This is not Chen’s first taste of success with the gloves - having claimed the New Zealand National age group title three times, the Taiwan National Championships twice and the Australian Golden Gloves.
He first represented New Zealand in 2015 at the Junior World Championships.
‘‘This [Commonwealth medal] is the most prestigious to date as it was a multi-sport games.
‘‘It was pretty emotional standing up there on the podium.
‘‘My team mates were there as well cheering and clapping and even though it was a bronze medal, it showed my country was still proud.’’
Chen trains five to six days a week after school mixing highintensity speed work and boxing specific training including sparring with coach Rusty Porter.
He took up the sport after using it to improve his fitness for rugby.
‘‘I had my first fight in 2013, after training in 2012, and I fell in love with it.’’
When asked about the aspects which make him so successful, Chen says it’s firstly the support of his family and friends then his own hard work and determination.
The Commonwealth Youth Games were held in the Bahamas from July 19-23 with up to 1300 athletes aged 14-18 taking part from 70 countries.