The latest edition of the China Open Tournament took place in Guiyang, and eight of Asia’s top athletes claimed gold medals.

Although mostly Asian nations took part in the event, Cuba, Russia, Ukraine and England also sent a delegation to Guiyang, which raised the level of the tournament up to world class.

The host nation secured four gold medals on home soil, while Cuba, Russia, Philippines, Iran, South Korea and DPR Korea also achieved a top position in the China Open Tournament.

Athlete of the tournament
China’s Lu Bin claimed a gold medal at the 2012 AIBA Youth World Championships in Yerevan, Armenia and joined the elite level last year, with his best result a bronze at the 2013 ASBC Asian Continental Championships in Amman.

The Light Flyweight class (49 kg) boxer who comes from the Jinan Military region, eliminated a star rival, South Korea’s AIBA World Championships silver medallist Shin Jong Hun in the semi-final winning the bout by split decision.

19-year-old Lu won the final via the same methid over his compatriot He Junjun, and will probably receive the right to fight for China in the upcoming Incheon 2014 Asian Games.

Team of the tournament
China claimed four gold medals in Guiyang in the front of the home crowd, which is a good omen for the country prior to the Incheon 2014 Asian Games, scheduled to take place in the second part of September.

Besides Lu Bin’s gold medal, Bocskai Memorial Tournament winner Zhang Jiawei who has been a member of the national squad since 2010, defeated DPR Korea’s Kwon Chol Guk in the final of the Bantamweight class (56 kg).

Women’s boxing in China is very strong, and therefore their two final victories in Guiyang was an expected result.

National Games winner Yin Junhua defeated Tajikistan’s London 2012 Olympic Games bronze medallist Mavzuna Choriyeva in the final of the Lightweight class (60 kg), while a Chinese local final was held in the Middleweight class (75 kg), where two-time National Champion Li Qian defeated former AIBA Women’s World Champion Li Jinzi.

Surprise of the tournament
Iran’s Golara Faroutan is a well-known name at international level, and his previous best performance was a bronze medal at the 2007 Asian Continental Championships in Ulanbaatar, Mongolia.

The 30-year-old Lightweight class (60 kg) boxer won his first ever international tournament title in Guiyang, as he defeated China’s National Champion Wang Lei in the semi-final, and outpointed Kazakhstan’s young hope Bagdad Uaidayev in the final.

Ones to watch in the future
Philippines’ ASBC Asian Youth Continental Champion Ian Clark Bautista is a young Southeast Asian hope in the Flyweight class (52 kg), and won all of his four contests in Guiyang against strong Thai, Mongolian, Chinese and South Korean opponents.

He shocked China’s former ASBC Asian Continental Champion Chang Yong in the semi-final and stopped South Korea’s Choe Sang Don in the final.

South Korea’s Kim Hyeong Kyu claimed a gold medal at the 2011 ASBC Asian Continental Championships in Incheon at the age of 19.

Now 22, the Korean Light Heavyweight class (81 kg) boxer competed perfectly in the China Open Tournament, which is a great sign before the Asian Games.

Kim knocked out Iran’s WSB star Ehsan Rouzbahani in the semi-final, and triumphed over Kazakhstan’s ASBC Asian Youth Continental Champion Tursynbay Kulakhmet in the narrow final.

Stat/fact of the tournament
The event was a good opportunity for the Asian nations to check their current skills as they enter the final phase of preparation for the Incheon 2014 Asian Games.

List of the winners in the China Open Tournament
Women’s 51 kg: Ri Hyang Mi, DPR Korea
Women’s 60 kg: Yin Junhua, China
Women’s 75 kg: Li Qian, China
Men’s 49 kg: Lu Bin, China
Men’s 52 kg: Ian Clark Bautista, Philippines
Men’s 56 kg: Zhang Jiawei, China
Men’s 60 kg: Golara Faroutan, Iran
Men’s 64 kg: Luis Oliva, Cuba
Men’s 69 kg: Arisnoide Despaigne, Cuba
Men’s 75 kg: Arlen Lopez, Cuba
Men’s 81 kg: Kim Hyeong Kyu, South Korea
Men’s 91 kg: Sergey Kolchugin, Russia
Men’s +91 kg: Dmitriy Mukhin, Russia

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