Jitpong and Phoemsap made Thailand proud at the Southeast Asian Games on Day1

The boxing event of the Southeast Asian Games started with ten preliminary contests and quarter-finals in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Thailand’s female No.1, Jutamas Jitpong turned back her final-level bout against Vietnam’s Nguyen Thi Tam while her teammate, Atichai Phoemsap also made a great comeback to the sport.

Altogether 24 female and 71 male boxers are competing for the 16 available titles in Phnom Penh. The men’s bantamweight (54kg) and the lightweight (60kg) are the most crowded categories with the participation of 9-9 boxers.

Host Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor Leste and Vietnam are the participating countries in the boxing event of the Southeast Asian Games. The Technical Delegate of the competition is Mrs. Marina Ni from Kazakhstan.

Philippines’ ASBC Asian Champion and Tokyo Olympic Games silver medallist Carlo Paalam enjoyed his first contest in Phnom Penh, he controlled all of the three rounds against a younger opponent, Cambodia’s Sao Rangsey at the men’s bantamweight (54kg).

Philippines’ second success in the SEA Games was achieved by Paul Julyfer Bascon, a new face in the national team who competes at the lightweight (60kg) in Phnom Penh. The young Filipino had a smart boxing against Myanmar’s Aung Soe Moe and he managed to win his opener in Cambodia’s capital.

Singapore’s Velvan Tan Jun Jie and Cambodia’s Penh Vanthung are from the same age group, both U22 level boxers are future prospects of their countries. Both boxers had similar level of technical and tactical skills but Tan Jun Jie had the better finish and joined the next stage at the welterweight (67kg).

Thailand’s Bunjong Sinsiri is the reigning ASBC Asian Champion at the welterweight (67kg) and he impressed in the first day of boxing against Vietnam’s Duc Tho Tran which means that he has still the chance to defend his throne.

East Timor has several excellent talents and their Delio Anzaqeci Mouzinho had the strength to stop Singapore’s Muhammad Khidhir Bin Saniff in the first round. Sarohatua Lumbantobing is famous of his powerful punches and he knocked out opponents in the previous one year. The Indonesian repeated that once again and delivered the first classic KO against Cambodia’s Hun Kim Heang at the light middleweight (71kg).

Thailand’s former Youth Olympic Champion Atichai Phoemsap moved up to the light middleweight (71kg) and his return to the international events was a success against Malaysia’s Mohamed Aswan Che Azmi.

Thailand’s Jutamas Jitpong and Vietnam’s Nguyen Thi Tam both are Women’s World Boxing Championships silver medallists but they had to meet in an early final in Phnom Penh. The Vietnamese girl had the advantage after two rounds but Jitpong’s shots were decisive in the third and she won the bout by RSCI, turning it back. Indonesia’s Novita Sinadia eliminated Singapore’s Rafhana Binte Rosli and also advanced to the semi-finals of the women’s bantamweight (54kg) after Jitpong. Philippines’ Tokyo Olympian Irish Magno won the last bout of the first session, she bowed out Myanmar’s Nan A Mwe Hom.

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