Oh Yeon Ji and Kim In Kyu topped in the South Korean National Championships

The 71st edition of the South Korean National Boxing Championships was held in the Yeongam Indoor Gymnasium which was their first selection event for the main actions in 2018. South Korea’s stars as two-time ASBC Asian Women’s Champion Oh Yeon Ji and Hamburg 2017 AIBA World Boxing Championships bronze medallist Kim In Kyu both dominated their weight classes in Yeongam.
South Korea proved top performance in the international competitions in 2017, their men elite, women, youth and junior boxers achieved medals in the main AIBA and ASBC events which shows their continuous development. Three women and ten men boxers were crowned in the South Korean National Boxing Championships.
The first gold medal of the South Korean National Boxing Championships was achieved by Nam Eun Jin at the women’s flyweight (51kg) who defeated Kim Kyung Min in the final. Nam is member of the national team since 2010 and competed also in the ASBC Asian Confederation Women’s Boxing Championships in Ho Chi Minh City.
South Korea’s best woman boxer Oh Yeon Ji defended her throne in the ASBC Asian Confederation Women’s Boxing Championships in Ho Chi Minh City. The 27-year-old two-time ASBC Asian Women’s Champion Oh felt the rhythm in the final of the lightweight (60kg) against AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships bronze medallist Shim Hee Jung and defended her throne.
Seon Su Jin shocked top rivals in the ASBC Asian Confederation Women’s Boxing Championships and secured finally an incredible silver medal in Ho Chi Minh City. The 19-year-old talent moved ahead without any stoppage in the final of the middleweight (75kg) against former national team member Choi Su Yeon and defeated her rival once again.
The first gold medal in the men part of the South Korean National Boxing Championships was achieved by former AIBA World Boxing Championships silver medallist Shin Jong Hoon who fully returned to the sport. The 28-year-old light flyweight (49kg) boxer, who is titleholder also in the Asian Games, defeated Jo Se Hyeong in the final of the national event.
Kim In Kyu did a sensational breakthrough in 2017 when he achieved bronze in the Hamburg 2017 AIBA World Boxing Championships and silver in the Tashkent 2017 ASBC Asian Confederation Boxing Championships. The 24-year-old flyweight (52kg) boxer needed to do his very best in the final of the South Korean National Boxing Championships against World Military Games winner Park Jung Woong.
Ham Sang Myeong is also titleholder in the Asian Games as Shin Jong Hoon and after a few poor years he returned in top shape. The 22-year-old bantamweight (56kg) boxer controlled his final fight against national team member Lee Ye Chan and following his success Ham is near to regain his place in their top squad.
Kang Hyun Bin is a new face at the lightweight (60kg) who was able to beat Kim Doo Rae in the final of the South Korean National Boxing Championships. Park Won Bin also exceeded the expectations in the event when he triumphed over Lim Hyun Seok in the final of the light welterweight (64kg). In this category ASBC Asian Confederation Boxing Championships competitor Lee Jong Seung took only bronze medal.
Kim Seok Jun delivered one of the main sensation of the South Korean National Boxing Championships when he defeated Asian Games silver medallist Lim Hyun Chul in the final of the welterweight (69kg). Kim Jin Jae also delivered a surprise success at the middleweight (75kg) where ASBC Asian Confederation Boxing Championships silver medallist Lee Dong Yeon claimed only bronze medal.
Yang Hee Guen, who has been competing in the international events since 2011, did superb performance in the Republic of Kazakhstan President’s Cup earlier this year and the experienced light heavyweight (81kg) boxer did enough to beat 20-year-old Kim Jong Jin in the final of the South Korean National Boxing Championships.
Former ASBC Asian Champion and Asian Games silver medallist 25-year-old Kim Hyeong Kyu won his next national title at the heavyweight (91kg) following his success over Ju Tae Ung in the final. Song Hwa Pyeong lost to Kim Do Hyeon in the final of the last national event but the younger Song was able to do revenge in the gold medal contest of the super heavyweight (+91kg).

List of the winners in the South Korean National Championships
Women’s 51kg: Nam Eun Jin, 1991
Women’s 60kg: Oh Yeon Ji, 1990
Women’s 75kg: Seon Su Jin, 1998
Men’s 49kg: Shin Jong Hoon, 1989
Men’s 52kg: Kim In Kyu, 1993
Men’s 56kg: Ham Sang Myeong, 1995
Men’s 60kg: Kang Hyun Bin, 1995
Men’s 64kg: Park Won Bin, 1996
Men’s 69kg: Kim Seok Jun, 1993
Men’s 75kg: Kim Jin Jae, 1996
Men’s 81kg: Yang Hee Guen, 1990
Men’s 91kg: Kim Hyeong Kyu, 1992
Men’s +91kg: Song Hwa Pyeong, 1994