Year 12 pupil reaches finals in National Youth Boxing Championships

Congratulations to Year 12 pupil Joan who is competed in the England Boxing National Youth Championships 2021 finals.

Joan started boxing when she was 12 years old, after her parents encouraged her take part in a contact sport.  Despite her not enjoying the sport in the early stages, she persevered and became a competing boxer at the age of 15.  She is now hugely successful, competing in England’s National Boxing Youth Championship finals,  placing her in one of the top three girls in the UK in her age and weight category.

About the sport, Joan says, “Boxing can be very taxing on your mental and physical well being. If you don’t take care of both of these things, then you can place yourself in very dangerous situations. After both lockdowns, I really struggled to get myself in a good enough shape where it would be safe for me to compete once again. And for me to even get to where I am right now, I needed to overcome some great mental barriers, such as confidence issues and to improve myself physically and lose some weight.”

“The quarter-finals fight was my first fight in three years due to lockdowns and other factors. I was genuinely nervous before the fight and I honestly can’t remember anything now but it felt amazing for them to announce my name after the bout. It’s one of the best things you can ever hear as a boxer as I really worked hard for this moment.”

“To get this far and reach the finals is a huge deal for me. I’m so proud of myself for getting this far after struggling with the sport for so long.  If I lose, I want to lose knowing that I put everything into those two minutes.” Joan, Year 12