My Account
A boxing club in Silverdale is punching above its weight, with its fighters bringing home a fistful of medals from the recent NZ Boxing Championships.
Coast Boxing had five fighters (coached by Ben Williams and Nikolas Charalampous) selected for last month’s national competition – four were in the Auckland Association team.
Manager Melissa Whittaker says it’s the first time the club has had any fighters in the Auckland team, so it was very satisfying to win three medals – a Gold, and two Silvers.
The Gold in the Youth Male, 71kg category, went to Kyan Hand, aged 17. Sixteen year old Takara Adams won Silver (Youth Female 60kg) and Mia Dins got Silver in the Elite (adult) Female, 66kg division.
The other two Coast Boxing fighters who took part in the competition were Te Kapotai Tohu (TK), 23 in the Elite Male 92kg and Devin Smith, aged 18, in Youth Male 75kg.
Following the competition, Hand, Adams and Smith have all have been selected for the National Youth Development programme, which will bring opportunities for them to fight overseas and attend training camps with the best youth in the country.
Melissa says the club, which caters for children and adults, including classes for mums, Boxfit, beginners and fighters, has established a very good reputation, especially in the last year.
She says boxing provides a really positive focus.
“There’s no doubt it helps keep young people out of trouble. They develop a real passion for the sport and it’s so good for all aspects of mental health,” she says. “They become good role models.”
Currently it has 50 members, aged from 5 to 60 years.
