Asian Games quarter-finalist Sigyel Phub returned with a wins in the Bhutan National Boxing Championships

The Bhutan National Boxing Championships was an eight-day long competition in their capital city in Thimphu where experienced boxers won the titles in the elite level. Their former national team member and boxing coach Asian Games quarter-finalist Sigyel Phub returned to the ring and won the title of the welterweight (69kg).
Bhutan launched women’s boxing in 2016 and their first hope Tandin Lhamo attended already in the 2017 international competitions. Nepal will be hosting the next edition of the South Asian Games and Bhutan is planning to get medals on this competition. Their national team will be there also in the upcoming ASBC Asian Confederation Boxing Championships in Bangkok, Thailand this April.
The Bhutan National Boxing Championships was a selection competition for the elite boxers before the main goals of 2019. The sub-junior female and male boxers also could box in the Bhutan National Boxing Championships in Thimphu where their 12-year-old or younger talents fought for the titles.
The sub-junior girls fought for the national titles at the very first time in the history of the Bhutan National Boxing Championships. The opening final was won by 11-year-old Tandin Wangmo at the 27kg weight class following her success over Kinzang Dechen. Thukten Dema is only 10 but she impressed with her attacking style and defeated Tenzin Choden in the next final. Tshewang Cheki (36kg), Chimi Wangmo (39kg), Nima Wangmo (41kg) and Sonam Lhamo (43kg) also won their weight classes in Thimphu.
The first elite in the Bhutan National Boxing Championships was won by 26-year-old Nima Tshering who defeated Tempa Tshering at the light flyweight (49kg). Kinley Gyeltshen is a veteran boxer who attended in his first international event in the last decade but he was still enough strong to win the title of the flyweight (52kg) following his success over Dawa Tashi.
Following titleholder Phurpa’s clear success over Karma Yoezer at the bantamweight (56kg), Pema Dorji impressed in the final of the lightweight (60kg) where he was well-prepared to beat a young hope Tandin Wangchuk. The gold medal of the light welterweight (64kg) was captured by Nima who defeated Ugyen Wangdi in the fifth male elite final of the Bhutan National Boxing Championships.
Sigyel Phub was one of the main sensations in the Guangzhou 2010 Asian Games where he defeated the top Kazakh boxer and advanced to the quarter-finals. Sigyel Phub worked as a coach with the national team in the recent years but he decided to return and won the title of the men’s elite welterweight (69kg) in the Nationals.
Tshering Wangchuk has got strong international experiences therefore his gold medal at the middleweight (75kg) was not a surprise in Thimphu. Kinzang Wangdi not only won the last title in Thimphu, the light heavyweight (81kg) but he was named as the Best Elite Boxer of the National Championships.

List of the winners in the Bhutan National Boxing Championships
Sub-junior girls 27kg: Tandin Wangmo
Sub-junior girls 30kg: Thukten Dema
Sub-junior girls 36kg: Tshewang Cheki
Sub-junior girls 39kg: Chimi Wangmo
Sub-junior girls 41kg: Nima Wangmo
Sub-junior girls 43kg: Sonam Lhamo
Sub-junior boys 27kg: Karma Tsheltrim
Sub-junior boys 30kg: Yeshi Wangchuk
Sub-junior boys 33kg: Kinley Phuntsho
Sub-junior boys 36kg: Sonam Yoezer
Sub-junior boys 39kg: Dechen Dorji
Sub-junior boys 41kg: Tenzin Norbu
Sub-junior boys 43kg: Tshering Nidup
Men’s 49kg: Nima Tshering
Men’s 52kg: Kinley Gyeltshen
Men’s 56kg: Phurpa
Men’s 60kg: Pema Dorji
Men’s 64kg: Nima
Men’s 69kg: Sigyel Phub
Men’s 75kg: Tshering Wangchuk
Men’s 81kg: Kinzang Wangdi

Don’t forget you can keep up with all of the action, news, results and photos by following ASBC on Facebook and Instagram.
ASBC website: www.asbcnews.org
ASBC Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ASBC.Boxing/
ASBC Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/asbc_official/