8 countries shared gold medals in Helsinki
Photo: Margit Kincses
USA, England, Ukraine, Canada, Finland, Lithuania, Denmark and the Netherlands shared the gold medals at the 41st Gee Bee Tournament
The last seventeen finals took place in the fourth competition day at the 41st edition of the Gee Bee Tournament in Helsinki on Sunday afternoon. United States and England both earned five gold medals in the competition but Ukraine, Canada, Finland, Lithuania, Denmark and the Netherlands all won at least one title in Helsinki.
Record number of 140 boxers including 48 women competed in the new edition of the Gee Bee Tournament which is a memorial competition to remember Gunnar Baerlund, Finland’s heavyweight European Champion from 1934.
Bahrain, Canada, Denmark, England, Estonia, host Finland, Germany, Lithuania, Netherlands, Norway, Scotland, Sweden, Ukraine, United States of America, and Wales were the participating countries in the 41st Gee Bee Tournament in Helsinki.
Mr. Waldemar Mencel of Austria was the Technical Delegate of the 41st Gee Bee Tournament. The Gee Bee Tournament was a preparation competition for the upcoming European Games and other qualification events.
The bout of the day
England’s European Boxing Championships silver medallist Kieran McDonald was patient in the first round against Germany’s Salah Ibrahim in the opening final of the whole 41st Gee Bee Tournament. The German, who developed rapidly in the recent years, started the second round with a heavy shot after the first tactical period. The judges’ scores were equal after six minutes of fight therefore the final verdict was depended on their performance in the last round. Both of them gave in everything in the third round but McDonald was more punctual and he earned the first title of the Gee Bee Tournament.
The surprise of the day
Ukraine’s Anastasia Kovalchuk earned the gold medal at the 2022 EUBC European Women’s Boxing Championships in Budva but she was not enough shape in the first round against England’s Charley Davison. The English girl, who returned to the boxing business in 2019, wanted this victory so much and she invested a lot of efforts to catch Kovalchuk in their final bout. The Tokyo Olympian Davison exceeded her previous level and she earned the title in this Olympic weight class.
The Round-Up
Germany’s Murat Yildirim and Denmark’s Frederik Lundgaard Jensen both moved down one category and competed at the featherweight (57kg) in this Gee Bee Tournament. The taller Danish boxer used his longer distance successfully in the first round and he had the advantage on four scorecards. Jensen moved a lot on feet and he had the speed to land his counter-punches from his safest distance in this final therefore the Danish returned to the international stage with a gold medal.
Ukraine’s defending European Champion, Tetiana Kob moved down to the light flyweight (50kg) and she used her energetic attacks in the first round against Finland’s first finalist, Pihla Kaivo-Oja. The Finnish boxer received a warning in the second round and Kob had the control in that period as well therefore the Ukrainian had massive advantage after six minutes. Kob worked hard in all of the three rounds and she could fight from closer range which guaranteed her gold medal in Helsinki. Her teammate, Svitlana Umanska had a tight success over Finland’s European Boxing Championships bronze medallist Emma Jokiaho at the women’s flyweight (52kg).
In the third Ukraine vs. Finland final bout, Marianna Basanets faced Vilma Viitanen for the title of the featherweight (57kg). The European U22 Boxing Championships silver medallist Viitanen turned up the heat in the beginning of the second round after the first tactical opener. The Tampere-based Finnish No.1 dominated the second period, the referee had to count Basanets following Viitanen’s heavy blows. The local favourite felt that she can finish the final earlier and Viitanen delighted the home crowd with her RSC victory.
Canada’s 18-year-old Jayden Trudell enjoyed his 24th contest in Helsinki and his strong combinations guaranteed his success over Finland’s Jere Niemelainen at the men’s welterweight (67kg). The Canadian was fantastic in the attacks and his third round was the decisive between them today. Canada’s second gold medal was achieved by their Women’s World Champion Tammara Thibeault who walked over to the title of the middleweight (75kg) in Helsinki.
United States’ 19-year-old Emilio Garcia used the best tactics at the light welterweight (63.5kg) final and he defeated Scotland’s No.1 Reese Lynch today. His teammate, the World Boxing Championships silver medallist Omari Jones won the second gold medal for Team USA, he defeated another strong GB boxer, Ioan Croft at the light middleweight (71kg). Morelle McCane, a promising female boxer won the women’s welterweight (66kg) against Germany’s European Champion Stefanie Von Berge in a superb final. The World Champion Robby Gonzales (80kg) and Jamar Talley (92kg) made the clean sweep for the US team in Helsinki.
England’s Shona Whitwell is the tallest boxer at the women’s lightweight (60kg) and she has strong potential not only in this event but in the upcoming European Games. The English girl gained the control of the final against Sweden’s Agnes Alexiusson in the first round and she knew the weak points of her opponent to win the title. England’s experienced Bocskai Memorial Tournament winner George Crotty, who serves in the Marine Commando, controlled the cruiserweight (86kg) final against Estonia’s Anton Vinogradov.
Lithuania’s best male boxer, Aleksandr Trofimciuk is still a young boxer but a real fighter which he proved against Canada’s Jonathan Hannah in the final of the middleweight (75kg). The Lithuanian won the first and the third rounds in their spectacular final therefore his hand was raised after the last gong. Trofimciuk won the title of the Algirdas Socikas Tournament two weeks ago and he won his next international event within a very short period of time.
The quote of the day
“My coach told me after the first break that work harder and never stop attacking which was the key of my success. I am so happy to win a tournament gold in Helsinki,” said Vilma Viitanen after her final.
text: Tibor Kincses