RULING SCOTLAND
Scottish hopefuls target Commonwealth Games team in national championships
THE finals of the Scottish Elite championships took place on Saturday (April 1) at the Ravenscraig Regional Sports Centre in Motherwell.
These were key contests for the boxers hoping to represent Scotland at next year’s Commonwealth Games. The Scottish championships are part of the points system that dictates selection for the Scottish team for the Commonwealths.
Flyweight Reece Mcfadden,
who is determined to turn his Glasgow 2014 bronze in gold at Gold Coast 2018, confirmed that he was the leading 52kgs boxer in Scotland, winning a split decision over Lochend’s Matty Mchale.
Fellow Commonwealth Games veteran Aqeel Ahmed is also on a mission. He took a unanimous victory over Scott Weatherspoon
at light-flyweight. “Unreal night at the Scottish last night, won my fight and awarded boxer of the night,” he stated. “It’s only getting started what’s to come.”
Lee Mcgregor, who has recovered from last year’s hand injury, triumphed at 56kgs. He beat Hayfield’s Jack Turner on a unanimous decision. “This was my first full fight back from major surgery on my hand. My first fight was back in the semi-finals a couple of weeks ago and it was only a minute. I only got it done in November. So we weren’t actually
‘WE WEREN’T SURE BUT I HAD TO GET IN THERE AND GET IT DONE’
sure if we were going to be able to make the championships this year because of my hand,” he said. “But I had to get in there and get it done.”
Decorated middleweight John Docherty, who is also on the GB squad, outpointed Darren Johnstone unanimously in their final. Docherty has won the Youth Commonwealth Games and now wants to convert that into the senior crown.
Sean Lazzerini, of Bellahouston, upset GB champ Boris Crighton,
taking a unanimous decision and the Scottish light-heavy title.
It was also a significant championships in the women’s division, as they vie to become the first female boxers ever to compete for Scotland in a Commonwealth Games. Springhill’s Lynn Calder
was victorious at lightweight, beating Renfrewshire’s Natalia
Josko unanimously in the 60kgs final. 57kgs will also be a division at the Commonwealths, at feather Glenrothes’ Efiycia Kathopouli
took a significant split decision over Hayfield’s Cassidy Todd.
At 54kgs Cleland’s Stephanie Kernaghan beat Bellahouston’s Farah Jamil, also on a unanimous decision.
The semi-finals took place at the same venue on March 18. See below for results.
RESULTS
Women’s finals: 48: Emma Mcculloch (Glenrothes) outpd Nasreen Anderson (Lochend) unan. 54: Stephanie Kernaghan (Cleland) outpd Farah Jamil (Bellahouston) unan. 57: Efiychia Kathopouli (Glenrothes) outpd Cassidy Todd (Hayfield) split. 60: Lynn Calder (Springhill) outpd Natalia Josko (Renfrewshire) unan. 69: Gardner Moore (Lochend) stpd Shannon Lawson (Glasgow City) 2nd.
Semi-finals: 54: Stephanie Kernachan (Cleland) stpd Linsdey Robinson (Cardenden) 3rd. 57: Efiychia Kathopouli (Glenrothes) outpd Connie Ramsay (Springhill) unan. 60: Lynn Calder (Springhill) outpd Elaine Greenan (Livingston) split.
Men’s finals: 49: Aqeel Ahmed (Keir Hardie) outpd Scott Weatherspoon (Cleland) unan. 52: Reece Mcfadden (Forgewood) outpd Matty Mchale (Lochend) split. 56: Lee Mcgregor (Meadowbank) outpd Jack Turner (Hayfield) unan. 60: Nathaniel Collins (Hayfield) outpd Junior Burton (Leith Victoria) unanimous. 64: Robbie Mckechnie (Greenock) outpd Paul Thomas Murphy (O’neils) unan. 69: Stephen Newns (Cleland) stpd Fraser Gorn (Hayfield) 1st. 75: John Docherty (Byron) outpd Darren Johnstone (Forgewood) unan.
81: Sean Lazzerini (Bellahouston) outpd Boris Crighton (Byron) unan. 91: Connal Mcdonald (Bravehearts) stpd David Jamieson (Priestfield) 2nd. 91&: Mitchell Barton (The Bronx) outpd Daniel Gollan (Leith Victoria) unan.
Semi-finals: 49: Scott Wotherspoon (Cleland Miners) outpd Neil Mccubbin (Doon Valley) unan. 56: Lee Mcgregor (Meadowbank) stpd Garry Monkhouse (Greenock) 1st, Jack Turner (Hayfield) outpd Darren Shannon (The Barn) unan. 60: Nathaniel Collins (Hayfield) outpd Kieran Mcmaster (Northwest) split, Junior Burton (Leith Victoria) outpd Stephen Boyle (Dennistoun Mcnair) split. 64: Paul Thomas Murphy (O’neils) outpd Paul Murphy (O’neils) split, Robbie Mckechnie (Greenock) outpd Sean Spence (Meadowbank) split. 69: Stephen Newns (Cleland) outpd Sean Eng (Lochend) split, Fraser Gorn (Hayfield) outpd Sean Munro (Craigmillar) unan.
75: John Docherty (Byron) stpd William Clark (Hayfield) 3rd, Darren Johnstone (Forgewood) outpd Krystian Bozek (Lochend) unan. 81: Boris Crighton (Byron) outpd Kevin Kane (Dennistoun Mcnair) unan, Sean Lazzerini (Bellahouston) stpd Robbie Connor (Bellahouston) 2nd. 91&: Daniel Gollan (Leith Victoria) outpd Gary Fairgreive (East Lothian) split, Mitchell Barton (The Bronx) outpd David Theus (Alloa) unan.