Spain reaches the European Gamesthe first qualifying tournament for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games that will take place in Krakow (Poland) from June 23 to July 2, with a good taste in the mouth and three bronze medals in the pocket of Martín Molina, Gazi Jalidov and Ayoub Ghadfa. The Royal Spanish Boxing Federation has already presented the list of boxers who will participate in the competition. It will not be gabriel escobar, one of the most outstanding fighters on the team, due to the reduction in categories. Yes, Mary Romero has joined the list, who continues to give her best in both Olympic and professional boxing.
The Spanish boxers arrive at the European Games in Krakow, Poland, with very good feelings. The three bronze medals (they got the same number of medals in some World Cups as in all of history) in the last Elite Men’s World Cups in Tashkhent, Uzbekistan, last May, have served to demonstrate what the team is capable of. “It has been a good joy, because a world medal is not achieved any day. I am happy, quite happy with the result and with the performance that I have developed during the competition”, explains Ayoub, who achieved the metal in the +92 kg. Jalidov (-80 kg) and Molina (-50 kg) are not so happy with the result, but value the medal. “It is very difficult to get a medal in a World Cup and I am very happy. I thought I had done a little more than the Chinese opponent, but hey, we couldn’t get to the final”, explains Gazi. “Being one of the medalists, that my name is there fills me with pride. But I have the thorn that I could have achieved that first Spanish final in history and well, I feel a little that they took it from me because I gave everything of myself with the boxer of the house and I felt that I had the best fight”, Molina tells us. .
The International Olympic Committee announced that the 2024 Paris Olympic Games would feature 13 weight divisions in boxing mode. They seek, in this way, to obtain a overall gender balancewith more equitable categories. There will be seven weight divisions for men and six for women. With this cut, it has affected one of the team’s most outstanding fighters, Gabriel Escobar, who has been left out of the call. “It is a pity that in order to achieve equality between the weights of women and men, there is a lack of equity, since the undercut directly affects male boxers. Having produced this weight cut, As technical director I have had to make very tough decisions such as leaving out boxers of great international entity”, explains Rafael Lozano, national coach.
The boxers selected for these Games are Martin Molina (-51 kg), 2022 European champion and bronze in the 2023 World Cups, jose quiles (-57 kg), Olympian at the Tokyo Olympics and runner-up in Europe 2022, Adrian Thiam (-63 kg), third at the 2022 European Games, ANDouba sissokho (-71 kg), the captain who was an Olympian in Rio de Janeiro 2016, Gazi Khalidov (-80 kg), Olympic diploma in Tokyo and bronze in the 2023 World Cups, Emmanuel Reyes (-92 kg), Olympic diploma in Tokyo, bronze in the 2021 World Cups and runner-up in Europe 2022, and Ayoub Ghadfa (+92 kg), runner-up in Europe 2022 and bronze in the 2023 World Cups. The female representatives are laura strong (-50 kg), bronze in the 2022 World Cups, mary romero (-54 kg), who continues to alternate Olympic and professional boxing giving his best version, Jennifer Fernandez (-57kg) and Nayara Arroyo (-60 kg).
“I personally feel fine. the team is also fine. We are in very good physical, mental and boxing shape, and we are at our peakGhadfa says. They are already preparing for the competition, and are currently concentrating on Paris to arrive in the best conditions. “We are training hard and, little by little, we are going to correct mistakes and stay in good shape,” says Khalidov. The eyes are set on the Olympic Games, but there is still a road ahead. “The first thing is to qualify next month at the European Games in Poland and then gradually prepare for the Games, which are next year and we have plenty of time. So, calmly”, recounts Gazi. His partner, Ayoub, supports him. “You have to go step by step. First you have to classify. It is the first opportunity, and to be calm to be able to have our sights set on the Olympic Games and get there in the best possible way, in our greatest physical fullness ”, agrees his partner.