A 60 PER CENT medal strike-rate at the Australian Boxing Championships in Queensland more than saw Tasmania punch above its weight, according to state head coach Craig Woods.
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Woods said to get six medals (four gold and two silver) out of the 10 members of the team was ‘‘great’’ for the sport in the state.
Launceston boxers Tyler Blizzard (in the youth male 49 kilogram division) and Bailey Seabourne (under-15 male 54 kilogram division), Westbury’s Luke Blackwell (elite male 60 kilogram division) and Clarence’s Jacques Barwick (under-15 male 50 kilogram division) walked away with gold.
Latrobe duo Luke Woods (elite male 69 kilogram division) and Jason Colgan (junior male 60 kilogram division) won silver, meaning four (Blackwell, Colgan, Woods and Blizzard) of the five from the Latrobe Boxing Club collected medals.
Seabourne is from the Launceston Boxing Academy.
His brother Jack, who fights in South Australia under the coaching of Phil Goodes, was also a gold medallist at the championships, which were held from April 27 to May 2.
Woods described Blackwell’s win as the highlight.
‘‘He was able to catch the eye of the national coach [Kevin Smith] he fought so well, as he is just a really good pressure fighter,’’ Woods said.
He also praised the work of Seabourne and Blizzard, calling the latter a ‘‘polished little boxer’’.
Woods forfeited gold due to a head clash, but will get an opportunity to qualify for the world titles like Blackwell did by winning gold.
The Seabourne brothers are coached by their father Alan.
Jack’s focus is now on the Youth Commonwealth Games in Samoa and Bailey’s is the youth world titles in Russia, but George said the duo would need sponsorship dollars to ensure they can get there.
