– By Josh Bavas
Australia’s fastest rising boxing stars have only days left to fine-tune their combat techniques as they prepare to secure a much coveted ticket to Paris 2024.
The team will head to the Solomon Islands next week for the 2023 Pacific Games, which is considered a major qualifier for boxing in the Oceania region.
Among the team of 13 are Harry Garside, 26, and Caitlin Parker, 27, who both reached Olympic glory in Tokyo.
READ MORE: ‘Morons’ told to ‘shut up’ as World Cup pitch saga gets ugly
READ MORE: Tennis great slams Djokovic ‘attitude’ in loss
READ MORE: ‘They’ve choked’: Savage reminder of World Cup ‘demons’
Garside became the first Australian boxer to win an Olympic medal in more than 30 years by taking a bronze in the lightweight division.
He said since then, he is feeling like the “best version” of himself.
“There’s a massive difference,” he said.
“We always evolve, we always grow as a person and also as an athlete. I’m very happy with how I am and how I’m boxing and how I’m showing up.
“I feel like I’ve finally filled out a little bit, into a man.”
Despite his success in Tokyo, Garside is expecting tough competition at the regional qualifier.
“The Pacific islands (competitors) are so gifted, so talented – they’re strong, they’re athletic, they hold their weight really well so it’s going to be a really, really tough qualification process,” he said.
Women’s boxing was added to the Olympics at London 2012.
Paris 2024 will see an equal number of men and women competing for the first time in Olympic history with 248 allocated positions up for grabs in total.
Australian star Caitlin Parker said she cannot believe how far the sport has come for women in the past decade.
“I just remember when I found out that women’s boxing was being introduced into the Olympics and I was obviously too young at the time to compete,” she said.
“From setting my goal then and there like, ‘That’s it, I’m going to go to the Olympics for Australia for boxing,’ to then going to Tokyo and having my face on the Opera House … that was incredible.
“I want to win Australia’s first ever gold medal in boxing and Australia’s first female medal – that’s all I’ve thought about.”
About 5,000 athletes across 27 sports are expected to attend the Pacific Games over two weeks beginning on November 19.
