Schools Championships 2023: Finals Day report

Pinewood’s fantastic five victories ensured they were the most successful club on show as 78 titles were contested on England Boxing National Schools Championships 2023 Finals Day (14th May), held at the Guildford Spectrum.

The Home Counties club enjoyed victories in the Class A category for John Moloney (Under 36kg), Levi Valler (Under 65kg) and in the Class B category for Elijah Smith (Under 32kg), Simon O’ Donnell (Under 38kg) and Danny McLaughlin (Under 52kg).

That was enough to put them one title ahead of London-based Newham for whom Cadets Tommy Catanach (Under 32kg), John O’Hanlon (Under 36kg) and Star Birmingham (Under 40kg) and Class B boxer Tommy Stanley (Under 34kg) prevailed

Three other clubs, Southern Counties’ Sporting Ring, London’s Rainham and Tyne, Tees ans Wear’s Birtley took three titles home, while West Ham, Priory Park, Platinum, Albion, Tommy Coyle, Bodyshots, Cleary’s, Repton, Hoddesdon, TM Boxing and Northside claimed two each.

Overall, a total of 52 clubs from around the country could boast at least one victory in Surrey, highlighting just how competitive the boxing was.

Although all regions enjoyed some success, London were by far the most productive, with 18 wins, and were followed by Tyne, Tees and Wear with 11 and the Midlands, who had 10.

Yorkshire claimed nine victories, Home Counties seven, Western Counties six, Southern Counties five, Eastern Counties four, Merseyside and Cheshire and the North West three each and East Midlands two.

“It was fantastic to see the smiling faces of the boxers who finished the weekend as champions, and I’d like to send them all heartfelt congratulations on their respective achievements,” said England Boxing’s Chief Executive Jerome Pels.

“I’d like to thank all the security, officials, coaches, volunteers, staff and spectators for helping to give the boxers the chance to shine, particularly in keeping the event running when the venue suffered a National Grid power cut that affected the whole of the Guildford area.”

Champions in Class A and Class B were rewarded with a pair of Golden Gloves while Cadet champions took home a gold medal.

Finalists in all classes picked up silver medals and losing semi-finalists bronze medals.

Female boxers of the tournament, as selected by the team of watching England Talent coaches, were Verity Page (Mackenzie’s, Under 46kg Cadet),  Ella Welland (Hoddesdon, Under 40kg, Class B) and Jaya Kalsi (Cleary’s, Under 48kg, Class B).

Male boxers of the tournament were Evander Dickinson (Birtley, Under 50kg, Cadet), Charlie Keet (Heart of Portsmouth, Under 40kg, Class A) and Yashua Fleming (TM Boxing, Under 48kg, Class B).

Female bouts of the tournament were Salote Biu (Golden Ring) v Madeline Arnott (Birtley) at Cadet Under 34kg, Letitia McKee (Birkenhead Venture) v Scarlett Booth (CNC) at Class A Under 51kg and Ruby Took (Crowle) v Serena Mali (Cleary’s) at Class B Under 51kg.

Male bouts of the tournament were Bernie Mongon (Ardwick Lads) v Tegan Whay (Rayne) at Cadet Under 59kg, Freddie Roast (Dagenham) v Larry Rooney (Sporting Ring) at Class A Under 30kg and Charlie Ward (Pinewood) v Tommy Stanley (Newham) at Class B Under 34kg.

Click here to see full Finals Day results.