Nine schoolgirls and fifteen schoolboys celebrated their gold medals at the first edition of the Gheorgheni Open Tournament in Transylvania, Romania. Greece, Romania, Hungary, Croatia, Israel and Ukraine impressed with their talents on the fifth day of boxing when the first part of the finals were in the official program.
Altogether 212 boxers are attending in the Gheorgheni Open Tournament in the two age groups. 81 junior male, 32 junior female, 82 schoolboys and 17 schoolgirls are competing for the medals and titles in the Open. The Technical Delegate of the Gheorgheni Open Tournament is Mr. Henrik Tavio of Finland.
This is the Romanian Boxing Federation’s third international event in 2022 after the Brasov Open and the Golden Belt. The first edition of the Gheorgheni Open is being held for the junior girls and boys, furthermore the schoolgirls and schoolboys. The new international tournament is a preparation event for the upcoming EUBC Schoolboys & Schoolgirls European Boxing Championships and the EUBC Junior European Boxing Championships.
The bout of the day
The Greek boxers impressed in the recent one year especially in the schoolboys, junior and youth age groups. The Greek talents competed at the Brasov Youth & Junior Open Tournament in Romania this February and their boxers returned to the country. Their schoolboys have the attacking style of boxing which Petros Topalos proved in the final of the 60kg against Ukraine’s Ivan Bezuhlyi. Both boxers have impressive fighting spirit and stamina therefore their contest was one of the most exciting challenges in the fifth competition day. The Greek boxer was slightly better in the last exchanges and his efforts delivered a gold medal for Topalos winning the final by 3:2.
The Round-Up
Following Romania’s Cristina Telteu’s quick success at the schoolgirl 38kg, a 13-year-old Hungarian talent, Dzsenifer Horvath shined at the 42kg weight class, she stopped the host nation’s Denisa Marina Militaru. Ukraine’s first gold medal in the entire Open was achieved by Uliana Ovsepian who had a hard first round against Romania’s Cosmina Marin but she stepped into the gas in the second, and her tough shots were decisive.
Hungary’s Katalin Fazekas lives and trains in Gheorgheni, she is member of the local Godako Boxing Academy therefore she knew the environment well enough. The 14-year-old Hungarian controlled all of the three rounds against Ukraine’s Angelina Adamovich and she won not only the 51kg weight class but the best woman boxer trophy too. Her teammate in the club, Vanessa Tallosi walked over to the title of the 57kg while two Croatians such as Lana Skupnjak and Lorena Horvat dominated the heavier categories.
Israel earned several medals in the previous five editions of the EUBC Schoolboys European Boxing Championships and their current team in the youngest age group is also strong enough. Artur Eytan Prohnevsky won his national events and not only received the right to compete in Gheorgheni but he marched to the final of the 40kg weight class. The 13-year-old Israeli boy was highly confident against Romania’s Andrei Alexandru Fleseriu and won the high rhythm final in the Gheorgheni Open claiming the first schoolboy title.
One of the biggest names in the entire schoolboys event was Greece’s Nearchos Petros Konstantinidis who claimed a bronze medal already at the 2021 EUBC Schoolboys European Boxing Championships. The currently 14-year-old Greek boxer is relatively small at the 42kg weight category but his aggressive attacks destroyed the defence of his rivals in Gheorgheni. His next victim was Romania’s Cristian Tabarca who could not stop the energetic Greek boxer in the second schoolboy final of the day. His compatriot, Angelos Karaitis achieved a further gold medal for Greece after beating Romania’s Iulian Ciprian Buletica.
The Romanian schoolboys also impressed in the whole week in this new European international tournament. The Romanian Boxing Federation has strong efforts to develop the youngest age groups and their talents proved their development in Gheorgheni which was their last selection before the EUBC Schoolboys & Schoolgirls European Boxing Championships. Romania’s Samuel Cioaba was better than Greece’s Vasileios Vasilgiadis and won the 44kg weight class on the day of the finals. His compatriot, Edwin Petrea was also confident in his final against Hungary’s Istvan Fazekas and won the title of the 46kg weight category.
Levente Doro was the first Hungarian gold medallist, he defeated a local talent, Mihai Flavius Musat at the 48kg weight class. His opponent came from a boxing family but the 14-year-old Hungarian produced a remarkable week and he was better in all aspects than his Romanian tival. Doro lives and trains in the town of Hajduszoboszlo and his training partner Szabolcs Horvath delivered also a gold medal in Gheorgheni. The 57kg boxer was better than Shoh Shrago of Israel in the first and third rounds to win the title of the Open.
