Duyen hopes to win Olympic ticket
HA NOI – Luu Thi Duyen will contest the quarter-final of the seventh AIBA Women's World Boxing Championships in Qinhuangdao, China, this afternoon, with a view to earning an Olympic ticket.
Duyen, who competes in the 51kg category, will fight against Marlen Esparza, six-time champion of the US.
Esparza is also the No 1 candidate for a medal in London, the first time women boxers will compete at the Olympics.
Duyen, 19, was national champion in 2010 and 2011. She also grabbed a silver at the SEA Games and a silver at the AIBA Youth World Championships, both last year, two of the best results for Viet Nam at world level.
Duyen moved down two weight divisions this year for a chance at the Games. The Vietnamese teenager shocked Sweden's European Championships silver medalist Shipra Engelke 18-12 in the last-32 round.
The H'Mong ethnic boxer also beat Kenya's Christine Shisoka Ongare 21-6 in the last-16 round match on Saturday.
The world contest is the only qualifying event for the Olympics for women in three weight categories: 48-51 kg, 57-60 kg and 69-75 kg. There are 24 quotas places, eight in each weight category.
Duyen is the last hope of Viet Nam at the tournament as Ngo Thi Chung has been eliminated in the 60kg class. The event will end this Sunday. – VNS