Panamerican Games Qualifier: Gold Medal Winners Revealed

June 9th, 2015 / All

The Panamerican Games Qualifier has now finished after a superb day of boxing in Tijuana, Mexico.

After the completion of the final bouts, Brazil and the United States both claimed three gold medals, while Colombia triumphed in two weight classes.

Bout of the day

Brazil’s Joedison De Jesus Teixeira had a difficult task ahead of the light welterweight (64 kg) final as he was facing the talented US boxer Luis Feliciano, but he managed to use his tactical nous to seal a deserved gold medal.

Despite receiving a warning from the referee, Teixeira’s technical skills enabled him to accomplish the victory in impressive fashion.

Team of the day

The United States of America had four finalists in the Panamerican Games Qualifier, and three of their competitors managed to win gold in Tijuana.

Defending AIBA Women’s World Champion Marlen Esparza began a day of success for the US boxers as she outperformed Canada’s Mandy Bujold to stay unbeaten at flyweight (51 kg) in 2015.

Claressa Shields is one of the most dominant boxers in the world, and added another gold to her glittering collection as she defeated Dominican Republic’s Yenebier Guillen in the women’s middleweight (75 kg) final.

The third US gold was achieved by 19-year-old Antonio Vargas, who succeeded at flyweight over Colombia’s Ceiber David Avila with a performance full of pressure and determination.

Surprise of the day

Nicaragua’s Kevin Adonis Arias had not competed in any international tournaments prior to the Panamerican Games Qualifier, but he earned a sensational gold at light flyweight (49 kg) in Tijuana.

The Nicaraguan used quick attacks and a consistent rhythm against Colombia’s Yubergen Martinez to produce a victory that will make him a major name in boxing.

One to watch

Dominican Republic’s Central American & Caribbean Games silver medallist Hector Luis Garcia is enjoying an excellent 2015 after a series of winning performances in the World Series of Boxing, and the bantamweight (56 kg) boxer added gold in Mexico to add to his wonderful year.

Garcia’s attacking style enabled complete control of his final with Brazil’s Carlos Andre Dos Santos Rocha, with the resulting success especially rewarding after facing such a talented opponent.

Fact of the tournament

23 nations have secured at least one quota place for the upcoming Panamerican Games in Toronto following this qualification event.

Dominican Republic: 9 quotas
Brazil, Colombia: 8 quotas
Argentina: 7 quotas
Guatemala, Mexico, United States of America, Venezuela: 5 quotas
Canada, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Puerto Rico: 4 quotas
Bahamas: 3 quotas
Chile, AIBA Team (Ecuador), AIBA Team (Peru): 2 quotas
Barbados, Bolivia, Dominica, El Salvador, Honduras, Trinidad & Tobago, Virgin Islands: 1 quota place

Gold medal winners in Tijuana