SIAN O’TOOLE has been crowned ABA Youth National champion and now has her sights firmly on representing her country.
The 17-year-old Droitwich Amateur Boxing Academy member came through a trio of three-round contests in Rotherham to lift the title and she has now been invited back up to South Yorkshire this weekend to take part in a selection camp for the next European Championships at Team GB headquarters in Sheffield.
O’Toole beat Angelica Finch from Boston on a split points decision in the quarter-finals before defeating Leah Smith from Bridlington in the semi-finals with a unanimous verdict from the judges.
In a tough final against Devonport’s Beth Warne, the Spa fighter showed her resilience with a determined performance in the second and third rounds – regularly scoring with her jab and drawing her opponent onto her strong right hand to win the belt with a split decision.
“Sian has worked so hard for this and gone from being a complete novice to now being ranked England’s number one elite youth female in four years,” said coach Jayson Doyle.
“We’re over the moon for her and this now sets her up nicely to go onto even better and bigger things, starting with the Team GB selection camp and then the Tri-Nations in April.”
Doyle has high hopes for more of Droitwich’s young boxers in the coming weeks.
Fifteen-year-old Liam Jones and Sophie Morton, 14, will be competing in the England Junior Championships, whilst Joe Doyle is looking forward to his Midlands ABA final in Stoke on March 5 when victory will see him qualify for the nationals.
“The Academy is going from strength to strength and the titles being won and talent being shown is really putting Droitwich on the boxing map,” added Doyle.
