The Golden Belt Tournament took place for the very first time in the town of Chiajna, Romania, with neighbouring Moldova winning three gold medals, while England, Romania and Ukraine all bagged two gold medals apiece.

Athlete of the tournament
England’s Frazer Clarke joined their national team in 2009 when he competed in the EUBC European Youth Continental Championships in Szczecin, Poland, and won the Tammer Tournament this year to showcase his impressive development.

Following his triumph over Romania’s Daniel Emanuel Costea in the semi-final of the Golden Belt Tournament, he continued his winning path against Russia’s Yaroslav Doronichev in the gold medal bout.

The 23-year-old Super Heavyweight (+91 kg) class boxer has a strong national rival in Commonwealth Games gold medalist Joseph Joyce, and the two will be scrapping for a Rio 2016 Olympic place.

Team of the tournament
Moldova had three finalists in the Golden Belt Tournament, and all of them won to pick up the gold medals.

Their Flyweight class (52 kg) number one Alexandru Riscan is famous for his strong body punches, and defeated England’s EUBC European Continental Championships bronze medallist Jack Bateson in the final of the competition.

Moldova’s EUBC European Continental Championships silver medallist Dmitri Galagot also advanced to the finals following his semi-final triumph over Ukraine’s veteran Volodymyr Matviychuk, while for the gold he defeated Russian National Championships bronze medallist 22-year-old Grigoriy Lizunenko by unanimous decision.

The third gold medal was acquired by EUBC European Continental Championships silver medallist 21-year-old Petru Ciobanu who triumphed over Russia’s Imam Khatayev in a hectic battle.

Surprises of the tournament
Romania’s National Champion Ovidiu Berceanu had to be at his very best to win the gold medal of the Light Flyweight class (49 kg) on home soil.

The host nation’s boxer had to meet for the gold with Ukraine’s EUBC European Youth Continental Champion and AIBA Junior World Championships bronze medallist Dmytro Zamotayev, and Berceanu used successful tactics against the 19-year-old Ukrainian and won the contest by split decision in Chiajna.

Ukraine’s EUBC European Youth Continental Champion Yuriy Shestok had a veteran opponent in the semi-final, Moldova’s Beijing 2008 Olympics bronze medallist Veaceslav Gojan and surprisingly the young boxer defeated his tough neighbouring rival in the event.

Following that success, the 21-year-old Shestok continued his golden glory against Romania’s EUBC European Continental Championships bronze medallist Razvan Andreiana, winning the final bout by split decision.

Ones to watch
Wales’ Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Joseph Cordina had to defeat Hungary’s EUBC European Youth Continental Champion teenager Roland Galos and Moldova’s Vadim Ivaniuc on the road to the final of the Lightweight class (60 kg), and the 23-year-old successfully defeated Ukraine’s defending EUBC European Continental Champion Pavlo Ishchenko to win a further international tournament.

Romania’s two-time Youth National Champion 19-year-old Marian Pita moved up to the Welterweight class (69 kg) this year and secured his place in the elite squad.

The talented boxer eliminated Russia’s former EUBC European Schoolboys Continental Champion teenager Yagub Nuriyev in the semi-finals, and also defeated a strong competitor, Ukraine’s Yaroslav Samofalov in the gold medal bout.

Stat/fact of the tournament
The head coaches of the European nations are looking for their best line-ups prior to the important year of 2015, so therefore the Golden Belt Tournament was a very important challenge for the Russian, Ukrainian, Moldovan, English, Romanian and Hungarian delegations.

The youngest gold medallist was 19-year-old Marian Pita, while the oldest one was Moldova’s Alexandru Riscan who is only 25.

List of the winners in the Golden Belt Tournament
49 kg: Ovidiu Berceanu, Romania
52 kg: Alexandru Riscan, Moldova
56 kg: Yuriy Shestok, Ukraine
60 kg: Joseph Cordina, Wales
64 kg: Dmitri Galagot, Moldova
69 kg: Marian Pita, Romania
75 kg: Anthony Fowler, England
81 kg: Petru Ciobanu, Moldova
91 kg: Gevorg Manukyan, Ukraine
+91 kg: Frazer Clarke, England

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