Namiki and Irie won the Japanese Women’s National Selection Trials before the Qualifiers
The Japanese Women’s National Selection Trials was their next important competition after the Men’s Elite National Championships. Tsukimi Namiki, Sena Irie and Saya Hamamoto all impressed in their important finals and remained their chance alive to compete in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
Japan will be the host of the Olympic Games in Tokyo from July 24 in 2020 therefore all of their top boxers are strongly motivated to get a top result in the front of the home crowd. The Japanese National Sports Festival and the Japanese Women’s Elite National Championships were their previous selections while the new event was the final one for their female boxers.
AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships bronze medallist Tsukimi Namiki had to meet in the final of the National Selection Trials with Sana Kawano who had also strong international results in the recent years. Kawano was competitive only in the second round therefore the quicker Namiki will have the chance to represents Japan in the Olympic Qualification Events at the flyweight (51kg).
Two-time AIBA Women’s Youth World Boxing Championships bronze medallist 19-year-old Sena Irie had a crucial fight for the title of the featherweight (57kg) when she met with Mizuki Hiruta. The younger Irie started the important selection fight better and in spite of Hiruta’s efforts in the second part of the bout, Irie became the winner of the division.
Saya Hamamoto is another young hope who had to meet for the title of the lightweight (60kg) with veteran Tomoko Kugimiya who is member of the national team since 2009. Following the tactical first round, Hamamoto stepped into the gas in the second and delivered one of his best ever performances in their final.
Japanese Women’s National Championships bronze medallist Mai Kito was selected at the women’s welterweight (69kg) which is a new category in Japan’s female boxing life. Since TV star Shizuyo Yamasaki, Japan did not have any competitive middleweight (75kg) boxer in the country but Tsubasa Mizobata will be their new hope in this category.
List of the winners in the Japanese Women’s National Selection Trials
51kg: Tsukimi Namiki 57kg: Sena Irie 60kg: Saya Hamamoto 69kg: Mai Kito 75kg: Tsubasa Mizobata
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