Langford Mayor Stew Young added again to his burgeoning Olympic stable with the announcement that the 2019 Super Channel national boxing championships will be held on Bear Mountain.
All of sa国际传媒鈥檚 best male and female amateur boxers will be competing April 23-27 in what will be a key qualifier for the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics.
鈥淲e are 808 days away from the Tokyo Olympics. That鈥檚 like next week,鈥� said Roy Halpin, executive director of Boxing sa国际传媒, during Tuesday鈥檚 announcement at the Westin Bear Mountain.
Boxing sa国际传媒 is coming off a six-medal performance, with one silver and five bronze, last month at Gold Coast, Australia, in the 2018 Commonwealth Games.
鈥淏ecoming national champion, or retaining your national title, in the year before the Olympics will be the first step [toward qualifying for Tokyo 2020],鈥� said Halpin.
More than 250 boxers will engage in 240 bouts over five days on Bear Mountain.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 a lot of Olympic [style] boxing,鈥� said Halpin.
鈥淥lympic boxing is family across the country, and that family will be together on Bear Mountain, where the grassroots will get to mix with the elites and vice versa. What brought us here is this venue, which has the wow factor, and Mayor Young鈥檚 energy and enthusiasm.鈥�
The national championships will take place in the under-construction tennis pavilion atop Bear Mountain. There will be two rings set up in the 21,000 square-foot facility with 1,200 temporary seats.
鈥淚t will be the largest performance space [in terms of floor space] on the Island,鈥� said Young.
Alexandra Strickland of Langford won silver in the women鈥檚 60-kilo class at the 2015 nationals in Montreal before her dreams of the 2016 Rio Olympics fell just short. The proprietor of Knockout Fitness is considering a comeback on the road to Tokyo 2020 because the 2019 nationals will be right in her own backyard.
鈥淚鈥檓 warming up to the idea,鈥� said Strickland, a 27-year-old mother of one.
鈥淚 focused more on the business after the 2015 nationals, but I鈥檓 getting excited [about returning to competition] now that the 2019 nationals will be here. It鈥檚 going to be hard to say no.鈥�
Super Channel, a national pay TV station, said details are being worked out and that it hopes to broadcast the championship finals bouts.
National teams based on Bear Mountain include those for Cycling sa国际传媒, Tennis sa国际传媒 and Golf sa国际传媒 with Rugby sa国际传媒 down the road at Westhills Stadium. Young has dubbed the newly opened back road up to Bear Mountain the Olympic Corridor.
Rowing sa国际传媒, Triathlon sa国际传媒, Swimming sa国际传媒, Athletics sa国际传媒 and Surfing sa国际传媒 also have national training centres or head offices located in Greater Victoria.
鈥淐entralization works,鈥� said Halpin, noting Boxing sa国际传媒 is centralized in Montreal.
鈥淓ighteen of the [19] nations that won boxing medals at the Rio Olympics had centralized national teams.鈥�
Young, only half jokingly, said even Boxing sa国际传媒 would be welcome in Langford.
鈥淥ur partnerships are getting bigger and better. It鈥檚 something Langford is known for now,鈥� he said, adding that watching Olympians train in their midst inspires the young people in his community to be active.
He added that Langford sport is vertically integrated and provides facilities for kids鈥� sports and people of all abilities.
鈥淲e get behind things here. One of the best things you can do for a community is provide recreation and entertainment,鈥� said Young.
The 2018 Super Channel national boxing championships were held earlier this year in Edmonton. The last time sa国际传媒 hosted was in 2009 in Richmond. Before that, it was 2005 in Prince George, and 2000 in Campbell River, the latter which was the final qualifier for the 2000 Sydney Olympics.
Ticketing and other event details for the 2019 nationals on Bear Mountain will be announced over the fall and winter.
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