Commonwealth Games: Youngster wins spot among five boxers

Joseph Parker at the age of 18, will contest the super-heavyweight class at the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi. Photo / Getty Images

Young Auckland boxer Joseph Parker was yesterday named in a five-strong Commonwealth Games boxing team.

Parker, 18, this year won silver in the Commonwealth championships in New Delhi and bronze at the youth world championships in Baku, Azerbaijan. He also was selected to represent New Zealand at the inaugural Youth Olympic Games, which begin this week in Singapore.

Parker, who will contest the super-heavyweight class at the October Games in New Delhi, said he was looking forward to the challenge.

"Now it's my chance to show New Zealand what I've got," said the Papatoetoe apprentice builder.

Boxing NZ chairman John McKay said Parker was a strong candidate for a good result in Delhi.

"He has very fast hands and is very mobile for a super-heavyweight. He's comparatively inexperienced, but with only 30 competition bouts under his belt he is achieving very well."

Nathan McEwen (75kg), who won bronze at the Commonwealth championships and is ranked 21st in the world, adds to the team's experience, as does Angus Donaldson (60kg), who won silver at the Oceania championships in Canberra recently.

McKay said the pair would need to work hard in New Delhi.

"These boys have a very good idea what is required of them, which is to be very fit and technically well equipped.

"Today boxing is very technical and the new format 3 x 3 minute rounds demands an even higher level of fitness than ever."

The team also includes Christchurch's Reece Papuni (81kg), who won bronze at the President's Cup in Baku, this year and Commonwealth championships bronze medal winning David Aloua (91kg).

Competition in India is expected to be tough, with the host country performing well in international competitions and the English team also expected to be strong.

Russian-born Stanislav Chalaev is among a seven-strong New Zealand weightlifting team.

The 24-year-old Aucklander, who settled in New Zealand 12 years ago, has already competed on the international stage for his adopted country, finishing second in the under-105kg division at this year's Oceania championships and third at the 2009 Commonwealth championships.

Olympians Mark Spooner and Richard Patterson, from Auckland, will contest the under-69kg and under-85kg divisions respectively.

The youngest member of the squad is 19-year-old Auckland lifter Lou Guinares, who will compete in the under-56kg division. Other members include Christchurch lifter Cameron Sinclair in the under-62kg, and Aucklanders Kate Howard in the under-53kg and Tracey Lambrechs in the over-75kg.

Howard, 31, will be attending her third Commonwealth Games.

BOXING TEAM

Joseph Parker (Papatoetoe, 91kg+), Nathan McEwen (Westport, 75kg), Reece Papuni (Christchurch, 81kg), David Aloua (Hamilton, 91kg), Angus Donaldson (Palmerston North, 60kg).

WEIGHTLIFTING TEAM

Men: Lou Guinares (under-56kg, Auckland), Cameron Sinclair (under-62kg, Christchurch), Mark Spooner (under-69kg, Auckland), Richard Patterson (under-85kg, Auckland), Stanislav Chalaev (under-105kg, Auckland).

Women: Kate Howard (under-53kg, Auckland), Tracey Lambrechs (over-75kg, Auckland).


- NZPA