Russians dominate Medal Podium at 6th WUC Boxing
On 14 September, 2014, the 6th World University Boxing Championship in Yakutsk ended. More than 80 athletes representing 12 countries, including women for the first time, participated in the 12 different weight categories of the event. The Championship took place from 9 to 14 September in the Sports Training Center ‘Triumph’.
After the final bouts, the Russian athletes won 11 medals (7 gold, 2 silver & 2 bronze), leading the medal tally ending first place by the team results. Among them two local Yakut athletes – Vasily Egorov and Darman Kutubekov. Neighbor Kazakhstan trailed the host country with 7 medals (2 gold, 3 silver & 2 bronze) while Korea placed third in the medal table with also 7 medals (2 silver & 5 bronze). Mongolia (1 silver & 5 bronze) and France (1 gold, 1 silver & 3 bronze) made up the top five in the medal tally. Other countries that saw their student-boxers mount the medal podium were Moldova, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Belarus. All medals were made of precious metals embedded with Yakut diamonds.
Russians Sayana Sagataeva and Anastasiya Balyakova made FISU history as they claimed the first titles in the women’s fly respective women’s light weight categories in the inaugural women’s tournament of the WUC Boxing.
During the closing ceremony the famous boxer Emmanuel “Manny” Pacquiao addressed the participants via a video message. “I am sure that the Championship was successful and became the start of an international career for many of you”, he said.
At the closing ceremony, Georgy Balakshin, the Deputy of Ministry of Sports of Yakutia, handed the FISU flag to Prasartu Suebeka, the President of the National University Sports Board of Thailand, where the next edition (7th) of the championship will be held in 2016.
C. Pierre, FISU Press Officer