A knockout year for triple gold medalist
BOXING
MEGAN Bainbridge hopes to continue boxing clever in 2018 after being a golden girl three times over in 2017,writes TONY HODGSON.
The 14-year-old from Stanley can look back with pride on an amazing year of success - highlighted by a summer of triple gold medal.
She competed in six bouts - taking five wins, three gold medals and one silver medal.
Bainbridge, a member of Durham’s Brandon Boxing Club, was selected to box for England in the GB Tri Nations Championship in Motherwell, Scotland, in June.
This was the start of a memorable month in which she competed on weekends in a row at three different major tournaments - striking gold at them all.
She was first crowned the No 1 girl in Great Britain after beating Scotland’s national champion Taylor Snaith in Motherwell.
A week later Bainbridge represented the Tyne Tees and Wear squad in the Hull Box Cup.
She came up against a strong Irish girl called Rachel Lawless, a threetime Irish champion - and defeated her in style.
Next up was the Monkstown Boxcup in Dublin, where the teenager defied the odds again to claim another gold.
When the draw was made there was no-one in Bainbridge’s weight class - meaning she had to box a girl much heavier than herself.
However, she shrugged off that disadvantage with another classy performance, using speed and accuracy of shot selection to take the gold medal.
Those successes led to Bainbridge being named boxer of the season by her club at the its annual presentation day.
Brandon’s head coach Alex Oliver is not surprised by Bainbridge’s rapid progress - and has tipped her for even greater things in 2018.
He said: “Myself and Simon Patterson have coached Megan since she first joined the gym at the age of nine.
“Even at the outset you could see she had real talent and her progress has been very pleasing.
“She is improving all the time and her success this year as been remarkable.
“Her attitude is fantastic - when she has frustrations she does not let her head drop but is just more determined to succeed.
“She is already training with England on a regular basis and I believe she can compete at the Olympics in future.
“She has the talent and determination to go all the way to the top in boxing and she is someone all the youngsters at the club already look up to.”
Bainbridge began 2017 off in style when she competed in an allfemale Tyne Tees and Wear squad show at Birtley Boxing Club.
She put on a skilful and powerful display against a fellow England international and reigning national champion Alicia Parkes from Houghton Boxing Club, taking the win by unanimous decision.
This contest was preparation for her to fly out to Sweden two weeks later to represent the Tyne Tees and Wear squad.
Over in Sweden things did not go quite go the young fighter’s way.
She was drawn against Montenegro’s national champion and was beaten on a split decision, even though many in attendance thought she had done more than enough to win the bout.
From February to May it was all about preparing for the National Championships.
During April/May Bainbridge also travelled the length and breadth of the country to attend England squad training.
When the National Championships came around Bainbridge was in exceptional shape - but was left extremely frustrated when there was no girl for her to box.
The 2017/18 season started in good fashion when Bainbridge took on another England team-mate, the previously unbeaten Alex Brown from Newbiggin.
Brown had beaten Bainbridge in their first bout three years previously - but Bainbridge gained revenge by triumphing on points.
She has high hopes going into 2018, where she will be looking for more England appearances and more medals.
There is a lot for her to train for with championships and numerous Box Cups to attend as well as hopefully fighting for England in the European Championships in the summer.