The World Boxing U19 Championships concluded in Budva, Montenegro, with 20 gold medals awarded as Russia topped the standings with five world titles, followed by Uzbekistan with four.
The championships featured 474 athletes, with 80 medallists across the competition. The final day also produced historic successes for Scotland and Argentina, while England’s Yashua Flemming claimed gold in the men’s 65kg division.
The opening session began with the women’s 48kg final, where Brazil’s Elissandra Santos secured a commanding 5:0 unanimous decision victory over Japan’s Hiyori Miki.
Ukraine’s Kira Makohonenko followed with a 4:1 victory over China’s Yang Sirui in the women’s 54kg, while India’s Aditya claimed the men’s 55kg title after defeating Russia’s European U19 silver medallist Islam Magomedov by the same score.
In the women’s 60kg, China’s Wang Shasha edged Russia’s Ekaterina Nesvetaeva by a closely contested 3:2 split decision to secure gold.
Argentina’s Edgardo Nicolas Peralta delivered one of the standout performances of the finals, defeating Ireland’s Kalib Walshe by a unanimous 5:0 decision in the men’s 60kg.
Peralta had become Argentina’s first finalist at this level since Fabian Maidana reached the gold-medal contest in 2010.
USA’s Marley McNealy secured the women’s 70kg title with a 4:1 victory over Uzbekistan’s Maftuna Yangieva, while Ireland’s John Donoghue claimed gold in the men’s 70kg after defeating Kazakhstan’s Bibarys Ashirbay 5:0.
Uzbekistan’s Suhrob Rakhmatullaev edged Iran’s multiple Asian champion Mohammad Saleh Mesbahi by a narrow 3:2 split decision in the men’s 75kg, before Russia’s Ekaterina Frolova secured a unanimous victory over India’s Megha Sheokand in the women’s 80kg.
The opening session concluded with another Uzbek success as Asadbek Sultanboev defeated Ukraine’s Vladyslav Naumenko 5:0 to claim the men’s 90kg title.
The second session produced a historic result in the men’s 50kg, where Scotland’s Aaron Sarwar defeated Russia’s Vladimir Orlov by a closely contested 3:2 split decision.
Sarwar was Scotland’s first finalist at this level since William Hutchinson won gold in 2016.
In the women’s 51kg, Uzbekistan’s Nazokat Mardonova defeated USA’s Ruby Lopez 4:1, while Russia’s Anastasiia Golunova secured a unanimous 5:0 victory over Kazakhstan’s Alina Kudaigenova in the women’s 57kg.
USA’s Lauryn Elmore continued her impressive run in the women’s 65kg, defeating Russia’s Bella Zueva by a commanding 5:0 unanimous decision.
The men’s 65kg final saw England’s defending European U19 champion Yashua Flemming claim world gold with a 4:1 victory over Spain’s Pablo Souto Macias.
Flemming’s success capped an outstanding campaign in Budva, which included a narrow victory over Uzbekistan’s Jakhongir Zaynidinov earlier in the competition.
Russia then enjoyed further success as Daria Antipova defeated China’s Gong Shengjie 5:0 in the women’s 75kg, before Prokhor Startsev secured the men’s 80kg title with a unanimous victory over China’s Yeerasili Ashan.
Kazakhstan’s Zarina Tolybay claimed gold in the women’s +80kg with a 4:1 victory over Russia’s Samira Itonieva, while Russia’s defending European U19 champion Kirill Korshakov defeated Uzbekistan’s Sardorbek Bakhromkhujaev 5:0 in the men’s 85kg.
The championships concluded with the highly anticipated men’s +90kg final, where Uzbekistan’s Islam Salikhov defeated Kazakhstan’s Vladislav Samozhonov by a 4:1 decision to secure the final gold medal of the tournament.
With all 20 titles decided, Russia finished as the leading nation with five gold medals, followed by Uzbekistan with four, as the World Boxing U19 Championships came to a close in Budva.
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