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Women’s Boxing to Make its Debut in Summer Olympics
Women’s Boxing to Make its Debut in Summer Olympics
Finally, female boxers are getting the chance to fight for a medal in the Olympic games. The Summer Olympics, with the opening ceremony July 27, will feature women in boxing for the first time, with three ladies on the U.S. team.
Representing the U.S. will be Claressa Shields, Marlen Esparza, and Quanitta “Queen” Underwood. As the first female boxers to compete in the Olympics, they’ve already made history. The ladies will join 33 (a small number compared to the 250 men competing) other fighters, in three separate weight classes (the men’s competition has 10), all competing for the coveted medals.
While boxing joined the Olympics in 1904, it was the only Summer sport without females until now. The entire US boxing team has 12 members, making it the largest at the London games. The women’s tournament begins on the second Sunday of the games (August 5 and 6), and will last five days, with semifinals on August 8 and the gold-medal matches on August 9.
Meet the U.S. Women’s Team:
- Claressa Shields: Flint, Michigan, 17, competing as a middleweight (165lbs)
- Marlen Esparza: Houston, Texas, 22, competing as a featherweight (112 lbs)
- Quanitta “Queen” Underwwod: Seattle, Washington, 28, competing as a lightweight (132lbs)
Related articles:
The Detroit News: Flint boxer Claressa Shields helping to make Olympic history
Yahoo Sports: Women boxers get long-awaited Olympic chance
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/women-boxers-long-awaited-olympic-140512595–oly.html
The New York Times: U.S. Has Its First Female Olympic Boxer
Yahoo Sports: Women’s USA Olympic Boxing Team
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/womens-usa-olympic-boxing-team-fan-overview-222300187–oly.html
