When asked about her ultimate objective, Terris Smith of the Island Boxing Club didn鈥檛 hesitate in replying: 鈥淗opefully, fighting for sa国际传媒 in the Olympics.鈥�
There鈥檚 a lot of that optimism going around on the host sa国际传媒 team at the 2019 Super Channel Canadian championships, a key points qualifier for Tokyo 2020, and which began Tuesday in the Bear Mountain tennis bubble.
Brandon Colantonio of Island Boxing got it started with an impressive unanimous decision over Matt Cooper of Ontario in the men鈥檚 91-kilogram class.
鈥淚t was such a positive vibe with my family and clubmates behind me in support and cheering me on,鈥� said the 23-year-old Colantonio.
鈥淚t was a tough, pressure fight but I used my range to advantage. I have the confidence and think I can win this championship.鈥�
That鈥檚 what sa国际传媒 head coach Bob Pegues of Nanaimo loves to hear.
鈥淲e鈥檝e broken records by sending our biggest team 鈥� 40 boxers 鈥� to the nationals this year,鈥� said Pegues.
鈥淚 am predicting a record 15 gold medals for sa国际传媒鈥�
A number of those could be coming from Island boxers.
鈥淏randon [Colantonio] is the darkhorse and could be in the running for gold,鈥� said Pegues.
鈥淎nd Terris [Smith] is the dream girl who came out of nowhere.鈥�
Smith was looking to take another step in her women鈥檚 57-kilogram class, as the sa国际传媒 champion was fighting Nova Scotia-champion Holly Macdonald, in a first-round bout that took place after press deadline.
The 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics are the quest for the senior elite competitors from among the nearly 400 top amateur boxers, including juniors, from across the country who have gathered atop Bear Mountain this week. It鈥檚 a long qualification process. Being crowned Canadian champion in the year before the Olympics certainly doesn鈥檛 hurt anybody鈥檚 chances.
It鈥檚 been a whirlwind journey to this point for the 25-year-old Smith, who first stepped into the ring just to try it in a charity event.
鈥淚 really liked it and decided it鈥檚 something I wanted to pursue, so I鈥檝e been training hard the last four years. I enjoy the technical aspects of training and the overall competitiveness of the sport.鈥�
It takes her from day job to nightly jabs. The discrepency between Smith鈥檚 occupation as a Langford accountant, and what she does in the ring, couldn鈥檛 be more pronounced.
鈥淭hey are both definitely at the complete opposite ends,鈥� she said.
鈥淏oxing is a good release from my day job.鈥�
Tuesday was only Smith鈥檚 10th competitive bout. Women鈥檚 boxing, introduced to the Olympics at London in 2012, is growing but bouts are still hard to find for female pugilists.
Smith is excited to be fighting in the Canadian nationals on, literally, home soil in Langford.
鈥淚t鈥檚 awesome to be competing at home with the support of my clubmates, family and friends,鈥� said Smith.
The three Island Club boxers who have qualified for nationals are Smith, Colantonio and Anthony Varela.
鈥淥ur whole club has been really supportive and helped us three prepare for nationals,鈥� said Smith.
Varela begins later in the week in the men鈥檚 64-kilogram class. Provincial champions and runners-up qualify for nationals.
Two-time Canadian heavyweight-champion Bryan Colwell of Victoria, a leading candidate for the Canadian Olympic team to Tokyo 2020, has already been selected for the 2019 Lima Pan American Games and so does not need to fight this week at nationals. The leading sa国际传媒 candidates to represent sa国际传媒 in Tokyo are Colwell, 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games bronze-medallist Eric Basran of Surrey and defending Canadian 69-kilogram champion Robert Couzens of Burnaby, the latter two will be fighting this week in their home province.
Meanwhile, wouldn鈥檛 it be something if the Canadian 2020 Tokyo Olympic berth in the 91-kilogram heavyweight class came down to Victoria boxers Colwell and Colantonio?
鈥淎t some point, Colwell and Colantonio will fight,鈥� said Pegues, almost relishing the thought.
The boxing nationals continue today, Thursday and Friday with sessions at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. The nationals conclude Saturday with the final session at 1 p.m.
