Cambridge News

‘This is my time to shine for the Paris Olympics’

- By MICHAEL REEVES michael.reeves@reachplc.com @michaelree­ves78

SHONA Whitwell hopes to achieve her lifelong dream when she flies out to Italy and that is qualify for an Olympic Games.

The St Ives southpaw is part of the Team GB squad that is taking part in the World Qualifiers for this summer’s Paris Games.

And having first walked into her dad Stephen’s St Ives Boxing Academy gym as a five-year-old it was a trip to London in 2012 that really ignited the fire to become an Olympic boxer.

Now, ranked as the number one lightweigh­t in Great Britain and number six in the world by boxing website boxrec.com, 26-year-old Whitwell has more than qualificat­ion on her mind.

“I am there to win gold - nothing less,” Whitwell said. “It would be the dream, then I can be satisfied.

“I never wanted to leave the [Team GB Podium] program until I was satisfied with my achievemen­ts and what I have won, winning that Olympic gold would mean everything.

“Then I can be happy with what I have done here and move on to whatever is next.

Women’s boxing was first introduced into the Olympics at the London Games in 2012, and it was a visit to the Copper Box Arena to see Ireland’s Katie Taylor take on Great Britain’s Natasha Jonas in the lightweigh­t quarter-finals that got Whitwell hungry to follow in their footsteps.

Taylor took the decision that day in London and has gone on to become one the world’s poundfor-pound best female profession­al boxers and is currently the undisputed world super-lightweigh­t world champion, while Jonas has gone on to become a two-weight world champion.

“I watched Katie Taylor-Natasha Jonas [at London 2012], it was unreal, the atmosphere between the English and Irish, that really gave me the hunger for it, I was still young, but that made me even hungrier for it,” Whitwell said.

“Women’s boxing was getting big, that was definitely the moment that made me think that I want to go for the Olympics.

“The last Olympics [in Tokyo], I was around, but it wasn’t really my time, now I have gained so much more experience, I have earned my spot as number one [in GB], recently I have bought back a few gold medals and proved myself.

“It [Paris] has always been the aim, I knew this was my time, this cycle, I wasn’t quite ready for the last one.

“I just want to make a name for myself [at the Olympics], be happy with my achievemen­ts and then I can think about the next step.

“They [Taylor and Jonas] are flying [as profession­al], it goes to show how much it [women’s boxing] has progressed and how big it has got now, by the time I turn pro it is going to be amazing.”

Whitwell, who’s sister Harli makes her fifth outing as a profession­al in April, heads to the tournament in Italy, which begins on Sunday and ends on March 11, full of confidence after winning the World Boxing Cup: GB Open in Sheffield in January.

“That was great prep to be fair, I needed it,” said Whitwell, who has also beaten current profession­al world champions Ellie Scotney and Sandy Ryan as a youngster.

“I was hoping to get a few bouts than I did, I was happy with the two bouts and it showed that I could deal with the pressure.

“It proved to myself and the team that I can deal with that pressure. Boxing in your country, in front of your friends and family, it is a lot of pressure.

“It is probably on par with the qualifiers, it was definitely all good prep. We have just come back from Italy from a multi-nations training camp, they had about 26 nations there so the sparring was unreal.

“It is exciting [to box at home], but at the same time it is very nerve wracking, there is more pressure I guess, but it is good pressure because I do perform well under pressure. It was good to have my Dad there and my partner [England Boxing developmen­t coach Reece Redmond] there.

“They help coach me when I am back home, it is good to hear them shouting. It spurred me on, it gave me that extra boost.”

 ?? ANDY CHUBB ?? St Ives’ Shona Whitwell is targeting a place at the Olympic Games
ANDY CHUBB St Ives’ Shona Whitwell is targeting a place at the Olympic Games
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