|
|
(OCT 18) COLORADO SPRINGS,
Colo.-- Thirteen boxers will be representing Team USA at the
2023 Santiago Pan American Games, including seven males and six
females. Twelve of the 13 boxers will be making their Pan
American Games debut, with Naomi Graham (Fayetteville, N.C.),
34, striving to win consecutive Pan American gold medals, a
quest that no American boxer has achieved before. Competing in
the 75 kg weight division, Graham aims to carve her name in
history, and repeat her performance from 2019 these next two
weeks in Santiago that would punch her ticket to her second
Olympics.
Meanwhile in the small border town of Laredo, Texas, there's a
remarkable story unfolding as Laredo looks to celebrate not just
one, but two inaugural Olympic contenders in Emilio Garcia and
Jennifer Lozano. These two boxers are on track to represent the
United States in the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. Both boxers
have triumphed in 2023, with Garcia securing two international
medals, a gold and bronze, with Lozano securing two bronze
medals from international tournaments this year. The two started
in the sport for different reasons but hope to have similar
outcomes. Garcia has boxing in his blood, with his father in his
corner and brothers also boxing out of their family gym, while
Lozano got into the sport to learn a defense mechanism from
bullying.
Team USA made their mark at their last Continental Championships
and took home 13 medals including gold medalist Robby "Rahim"
Gonzales, 27, who looks to make his Olympic dreams come true by
finishing top two in Santiago. The Las Vegas native is hoping to
qualify for his first Olympic Games in his third Olympic cycle
with USA Boxing. After falling short at the 2016 Olympic Trials,
Gonzales won the 2020 Olympic Trials and seemed destined to
represent Team USA in Tokyo, however, like many, COVID deterred
his plans. With qualification guidelines changing due to
cancelled Olympic qualifying events, Gonzales did not have the
opportunity to compete in Olympic Qualifiers, ending his Tokyo
dreams. Deciding to stay for one more event, he won gold at the
2021 Elite World Championships, encouraging him to take one more
shot at accomplishing his Olympic dreams.
Other notable boxers include Omari Jones, 20-year-old-native
from Orlando, Fla., who won consecutive golds at the 2023 GeeBee
International Tournament and the Czech Republic Grand Prix in
the 71 kg weight class. He is also the 2021 Elite World
Championship silver medalist; Jahmal Harvey, 20, is a gold
medalist at the 2021 Elite World Championships and was the first
American male to win an elite world title since 2007. Harvey
from Oxon Hill, Md., is a multi-time gold medalist at USA Boxing
National Championships at the junior, youth and elite levels.
Team USA also has some young guns looking to secure berths for
the upcoming Olympic Games in Paris in 2024. Among these young
rising stars for Team USA include Alyssa Mendoza (Caldwell,
Idaho), 20, and the youngest of the 13 boxers, Yoseline Perez
(Houston, Texas), who is just 19. Both boxers have had
international success with Mendoza making her presence known by
earning medals in all three of her international tournaments
this year. As for Perez, she looks to continue her dominance
from the youth division that led to gold at the 2022 Youth World
Championships and make the transition to the elite stage in
Santiago.
Rounding out the team this week include Morelle McCane
(Cleveland, Ohio), who looks to become the fifth consecutive
boxer, and first female, from Cleveland to punch their ticket to
an Olympic Games; Jajaira Gonzales (Glendora, Calif.), the
three-time amateur World Champion and Youth Olympic Champion who
made her return to boxing in 2021 after stepping away from the
sport for a few years; Roscoe Hill (Spring, Texas), the 2021
World Championship silver medalist and 2022 AMBC Elite
Continental Champion; Joshua Edwards (Houston, Texas), Team USA
super heavyweight who is looking to join the legacy of Houston
boxing; and Jamar Talley (Camden, N.J.), the 2022 AMBC Elite
Championships gold medalist who looks to become the first boxer
from Camden to box in an Olympic Games since 1928.
Boxing in Santiago begins October 19 and runs through October
27. This year's Pan American Games will include a sixth female
weight class, up one from 2019 and double the number of female
weight classes from 2011, the first Pan American Games to
include female boxing. Boxers must finish top two, except for
the female 57 kg and 60 kg weight classes, as they must finish
top four to qualify by name to Paris.
The first Pan American boxing event took place in 1951 in Buenos
Aires, Argentina. Since then, Team USA has established itself as
a boxing powerhouse, securing an impressive 117 medals, which
leads the global medal race. Among the 119 medals, a notable 35
of them have been awarded gold, 35 silver and 49 bronze.
Click here to follow Team USA throughout their time in Santiago,
including athlete stories, media guide, live stream and full
results.
2023 Pan American Games Team Roster
50 kg: Jennifer Lozano, Laredo, Texas
51 kg: Roscoe Hill, Spring, Texas
54 kg: Yoseline Perez, Houston, Texas
57 kg: Alyssa Mendoza, Caldwell, Idaho
57 kg: Jahmal Harvey, Oxon Hill, Md.
60 kg: Jajaira Gonzalez, Glendora, Calif.
63.5 kg: Emilio Garcia, Laredo, Texas
66 kg: Morelle McCane, Cleveland, Ohio
71 kg: Omari Jones, Orlando, Fla.
75 kg: Naomi Graham, Fayetteville, N.C.
80 kg: Robby Gonzales, Las Vegas, Nev.
92 kg: Jamar Talley, Camden, N.J.
92+ kg: Joshua Edwards, Houston, Texas |
|
