Golden trio of Queensland fighters prove a big hit ahead of Tokyo
Commonwealth Games gold medallist Skye Nicolson, world No. 3 super-heavyweight Justis Huni and brilliant newcomer Paulo Aokuso led the way for Australia at the Olympic qualifiers.
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Queensland is dominating the national team selections for Tokyo 2020 as our fighters chase Australia’s first Olympic boxing gold medal.
Gold Coast Commonwealth Games gold medallist Skye Nicolson, world No. 3 super-heavyweight Justis Huni and brilliant newcomer Paulo Aokuso led the way for Australia at the 2020 Asia & Oceania Boxing Olympic Qualification Tournament in Amman, Jordan last week.
West Australians Caitlin Parker and Alex Winwood also qualified for Tokyo.
Nicolson’s performance in Jordan was emotion-charged.
Her brothers, Jamie, a Barcelona Olympian and Commonwealth Games bronze medallist, and 10-year-old Gavin, were killed in a car accident on the Pacific Highway at Helensvale in 1994 while on their way to boxing training at Nerang.
Skye was born the next year as her parents, father Allan, who was 45 at the time, and Pat, who was 42, tried to heal their broken hearts with another child.
While Skye never met the two boys, their memory shaped her life. Her parents established a boxing club in their Yatala backyard in memory of the brothers and Skye began training there as a child just for fun.
The fast-moving southpaw counter-puncher qualified for Tokyo by making the women’s 57kg semi-finals in Jordan, outpointing aggressive Bolortuul Tumurkhuyag of Mongolia to win the bronze medal.
“I’ve been dreaming, training, praying for this moment my whole life,’’ Skye said.
“I love boxing, it’s my whole life. I’m the happiest person in the world right now.
“I feel so blessed to be making this journey in memory of my brothers. I’m going for the gold medal in Tokyo 100 per cent.’’
Huni went into the tournament rated the No. 3 super-heavyweight (over 91kg) in the world.
“I’ve had this dream pretty much since I started boxing and to know for sure that I’m finally going to Tokyo means the world to me,’’ said Huni, who like Nicolson is a product of a backyard gym.
Huni lost the final in Jordan on points against 201cm world No. 1 Bahodir Jalolov of Uzbekistan, a massive southpaw with a monstrous straight left and quick feet. But his coach Mark Wilson was delighted that Huni qualified for Tokyo after more than a decade of hard work in his backyard gym at Bethania in Logan.
“Justis was a little flat in the final but we’re now better prepared to face Jalolov at the Olympics,’’ Wilson said.
“Jalolov is the world No. 1 for a reason but we know that Justis can’t stay at long range and try to outbox him because of that huge reach; Justis has to get up and attack from the opening round.
“It was a good tournament for the Aussies and young Paulo Aokuso was a revelation in his first big international event.’’
The 81kg Aokuso, who trains under Geoff Frazer at the Shape Up Performance Centre in Newstead, outpointed world No. 2 Dilshodbek Ruzmetov of Uzbekistan in his second fight in Jordan, before losing on points to world No. 1 Bekzad Nurdauletov of Kazakhstan in the final.
Another Gold Coast Commonwealth Games gold medallist, Harry Garside, from Melbourne, seemed unlucky with two decisions going against him in Jordan but will have the chance to qualify again for Tokyo with the rest of the Australian team at the World Olympic Qualifying Tournament which at this stage is scheduled for May in Paris.
Originally published as Golden trio of Queensland fighters prove a big hit ahead of Tokyo