Lynemouth boxer hopes to win place at Paris 2024 Olympic Games after being selected for qualifiers

Savannah Stubley, who trains at the Empire School of Boxing in Blyth and won a bronze medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, is one of 10 boxers selected by GB Boxing to compete at the forthcoming Olympic qualifying event in Busto Arsizio, in Italy, from March 4-11, where boxers will have the opportunity to secure qualification for this summer’s Olympic Games in Paris.

Stubley, who fights as a light flyweight and is part of GB Boxing’s World Class Programme, impressed the selectors when she won gold at the World Boxing Cup: GB Open, which was held in Sheffield last week.

The fighters will be hoping to claim one of the 59 places that are on offer for Paris 2024 at the event in Italy, which will include male and female boxers from around the world. It will be overseen by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and is officially known as the ‘1st World Qualification Tournament’.

It is the second qualifying opportunity for boxers from Great Britain after last summer’s Europe Qualification Tournament at The European Games in Krakow, Poland, where three members of the GB Boxing squad, women boxers Charley Davison and Rosie Eccles, and male boxer Delicious Orie, secured places at the Olympics.

The third and final qualifying opportunity for boxers to make it to Paris will be held in Bangkok, Thailand, from May 26-June 2.

GB Boxing’s performance director, Rob McCracken, said: “We have strength in depth in quite a few weight categories, so it is always difficult selecting teams for Olympic qualifying events, which are hugely significant for the boxers.

“We have analysed their recent performances and gone with boxers whose form and fitness indicate they have a good chance of qualifying at the next event.”

He added: “Qualifying for an Olympic Games in boxing is very tough.”

The Paris Olympics run from July 26 to August 11. The boxing programme will run throughout the Games at the Roland-Garros stadium, famous for hosting the French Open tennis competition, and the North Paris Arena.