Boxer Luiz Oliveira ‘Bolinha’ wins in his debut at the Pan de Santiago – News of Brazil
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The opening ceremony of the Pan American Games in Santiago (Chile) will be this Friday (20), but some disputes are already in full swing. Boxing is one of them. This Thursday (19), the first Brazilian took to the ring and came away with victory. In the featherweight category (up to 57 kg), Luiz Gabriel Oliveira, known as Bolinha, defeated Canadian Victor Tremblay in the round of 16 stage and advanced to the next stage, in which he will duel with Uruguayan Lucas Alexander Fernandez Garcia, on a date still to be be defined.
Grandson of Servílio de Oliveira, the country’s first boxer to win an Olympic medal in boxing, at the Mexico City Olympic Games (1968), Bolinha went on the offensive from the start of the fight. He won the first round by unanimous decision from all five referees. In the second round, after the Brazilian landed a series of blows on his opponent, the referee opened the count for the second time and, after Tremblay gave no positive response, declared Bolinha the winner by knockout.
The victory and the Pan American Games as a whole are of vital importance for Brazilians in qualifying for the Paris Olympics in 2024. The competition offers two direct places for next year’s Games. In other words, Bolinha is two triumphs away from securing a place in France.
In total, between women and men, there are 13 categories in boxing in Santiago. Eleven of them will give places to the finalists, while two others (up to 57 kg and up to 60 kg, both for women) will classify the four best athletes, totaling 30 places for Paris at stake.
Brazil aims for records and Olympic places
The COB took the country’s largest delegation to Santiago at an international event in history, with 621 athletes (342 men and 279 women). Before the opening ceremony, only baseball, boxing and diving will have started the competitions, but from Saturday (21), another 54 disciplines will begin to define not only champions but, in many cases, those classified in Paris as well.
In total, 21 sports (including boxing) will provide direct places in the 2024 Games, while another twelve will count points towards their respective rankings in the race for classification. At the moment, Brazil already has 105 confirmed places for the next Olympics.
Furthermore, the country is also seeking to improve its performance in relation to the Pan de Lima, in 2019, where it had its best campaign in history. At the time, Brazil finished second, behind only the United States and recorded its record for both gold medals (54) and podiums (169).
Source: Agência Brasil
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