Crowdfunding campaign to help get Cairns boxer to HK, Olympics

After a troubled childhood, Cairns boxer Leah Reuben has her sights on the Tokyo Olympics.

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A CROWDFUNDING campaign has been launched to help Cairns teenager Leah Reuben realise her dream of representing Australia at the Tokyo Olympics.

The 18-year-old boxer recently won the Australian under-19 women’s bantamweight title at Boxing Australia’s U19/17/15 Men’s and Women’s Championships and is currently training in the Philippines.

But an invitation to attend a further training camp in Hong Kong in January looked financially impossible for the young Wuchopperen Health trainee.

Now a $3000 GoFundMe campaign has been created by Hervey Bay Sergeant Kelly Chamberlain, who steered Leah through troubled times, watched her graduate from the award-winning Project Booyah program in Cairns and continues to mentor her from afar.

ROLE MODEL: Leah Reuben has turned her life around. Picture: BRENDAN RADKE

CHAMP: Boxing Australia’s under-19 women’s champion. Picture: JANNE RYTKONEN

“Leah is one of the most incredible young women I know,” says the Hervey Bay PCYC manager.

“As a child she had many challenges and hasn’t had an easy start, travelling the wrong path in life before finding Project Booyah and Do it Boxing three years ago.

“With guidance and mentoring, Leah has chosen to turn her life around.

“She is now completing a traineeship in Cairns, lives independently and has bought her own car. Leah is one big success story.”

ACHIEVING DREAMS: After a troubled childhood, Leah graduated from Project Booyah and wants to represent Australia at the Olympics in 2020. Picture: STEWART McLEAN

Sgt Chamberlain helped Leah secure the all-expenses paid trip to the Philippines boxing camp, where she has been “competing against former gold medal Olympic winners and is said to be winning against them”.

“The next stage of training is Hong Kong.

“Leah is supporting herself on a low wage, she is doing her absolute best, but it will be near impossible for her to raise the minimum amount required to travel to Hong Kong.

“I have been her mentor and biggest advocate for the last three years. I have seen her struggles and her triumphs.

“This girl is going places. She just needs support to get there,” Sgt Kelly says.

So far, $735 has been raised for Leah’s Hong Kong Dream, To donate, visit www.gofundme.com/f/leahs-hong-kong-dream online.

Originally published as Crowdfunding campaign to help get Cairns boxer to HK, Olympics