Nearly 70 Olympic boxing hopefuls are in Baltimore for the Pathway to Glory Olympic Trials Qualifier II for Women, now through September 11 at the Baltimore Harbor Hotel. The pugilistic ladies will compete in the three women's Olympic weight divisions - flyweight (112 lbs), lightweight (132 lbs), and middleweight (165 lbs) over five days of competition in Baltimore.
"Maryland Sports is extremely proud that Baltimore has been selected to host Pathway to Glory Olympic Trials Qualifier II this year," said Terry Hasseltine, Executive Director of Maryland Sports. "Being the high caliber event that it is, with an exceptional lineup of female boxers, we could not be more thrilled USA Boxing has chosen Charm City to host this important competition. The event is sure to attract plenty of spectators and boxing enthusiasts into the city to watch some of the world's greatest female athletes come for a berth in the Olympic Trials for Women's Boxing."
The Olympic Trials Qualifier II for women is the final opportunity for female Olympic hopefuls to earn spots in their Olympic Trials competition next month in Memphis. The top three finishers in each weight class in Baltimore will clinch the last nine spots in the Olympic Trials for Women's Boxing. With Olympic dreams on the line for all of the competitors and stacked rosters in every weight division, the competition is guaranteed to be intense from the opening bell.
"We are excited to have the Pathway to Glory Olympic Trial Qualifier II for Women in Baltimore," said Brandon Dyett, USA Boxing Director of Events and Partnership Marketing. "USA Boxing is looking forward to working with both the Baltimore Harbor Hotel and the staff of Baltimore Boxing to effectively host this year's competition. This premier event will showcase some of the world's most elite female boxers as they compete for an opportunity to advance to the Olympic Trials."
2012 Olympian Queen Underwood (Seattle, Wash.) is looking to return to the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro but it will be no easy feat in the talent-laden lightweight division. 2012 featherweight world champion Tiara Brown (Fort Myers, Fla.), fellow 2012 Olympic Trials participant N'Yteeyah Sherman (Barberton, Ohio) as well as former youth stars Rashida Ellis (Lynn, Mass.) and Samantha Kinchen (Lexington, Ky.) will all be challenging Underwood for her spot.
Baltimore's own multi-time national champion and world championships medalist Franchon Crews (Baltimore, Md.) will face stiff competition from 2014 heavyweight national champion Krystal Dixon (New Rochelle, N.Y.), youth champions Iesha Kenney (Alexandria, Va.) and Martha Fabela (Oakland, Calif.) as well as 2014 USA Boxing national team member Heidi Henriksen (St. Louis Park, Minn.) in middleweight action.
The tournament's smallest weight class will feature a mixture of established veterans and junior and youth stars moving up to the elite division. Former two-time featherweight national champion Melissa Parker (Fort Carson, Colo.) is now campaigning at the flyweight division and she is looking to clinch her first Olympic Trials berth in Baltimore. 2013 Junior World Champion Caitlin Orosco (Anaheim, Calif.) will reunite with her junior world teammate Nysja Barrientes (Las Vegas, Nev.) and could have a rematch from the 2015 Youth National Championships with youth titlist Kristyn Juarez (Los Angeles, Calif.) at the Olympic Trials qualifier.
The Olympic Trials Qualifier II for Women competitors will arrive in Baltimore on Sunday before the general weigh in, tournament draw and start of competition on Monday, September 7. Women's preliminary action will begin at 6 p.m., on Monday and run through Wednesday, September 9 at the Baltimore Harbor Hotel with complimentary tickets for those sessions available at www.baltimoreboxing.com. Semifinal competition will take place at 8:15 p.m. on Thursday, September 10 and Friday's championship bouts will begin at 8:15 p.m., at the Baltimore Harbor Hotel. Semifinal tickets are priced at $15 and final round admission is $25. To purchase tickets for the event, go to www.baltimoreboxing.com or call 410-375-9175.
The Olympic Trials for Women's Boxing will take place October 26-31 in Memphis, Tenn., in conjunction with the final Olympic Trials Qualifier for Men.
Any media interested in covering the Olympic Trials Qualifier II should send an email to Julie@goldstickerpr.com with their name and media outlet.
Olympic Trials Qualifier II for Women Athletes by Weight Class
Flyweight/112 lbs:
Nysja Barrientes, Las Vegas, Nev. (2013 Junior Open Champion)
Giovanna Camacho, Colorado Springs, Colo.
Melanie Costa, Norton, Mass.
Jacquelyn Cuddeback, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Ivette Delgado, Yonkers, N.Y.
Annika Harper, San Francisco, Calif.
Dacia Jacquez, Bloomfield, N.M.
Kristyn Juarez, Los Angeles, Calif. (2015 USA Boxing Youth National Champion)
Kathy McPherson, Mesa, Ariz.
Danyel Mitchell, Marietta, Ga.
Jamie Mitchell, Las Vegas, Nev.
Mary Nguyen, Springfield, Mo.
Caitlin Orosco, Anaheim, Calif. (2013 Junior World Champion)
Melissa Parker, Fort Carson, Colo. (Two-time featherweight national champion)
Rachel Perez, Aurora, Colo.
Rory Santos, Waipahu, Hawaii
Karina Sarabia, El Monte, Calif.
Somer Smith, Pasadena, Md.
Rontrice Thomas, Knoxville, Tenn.
Maryguenn Vellinga, Heber City, Utah
Lightweight/132 lbs:
Ariel Arismendez, Tolleson, Ariz. (2015 Youth National Champion and Youth World Championships bronze medalist)
Alycia Baumgardner, Clyde, Ohio
Tiara Brown, Oxon Hill, Md. (2012 World Champion and 2014 World Championships bronze medalist)
Kimberly Carlson, Chicago, Ill.
Wendy Casey, Buffalo, N.Y.
Rosselyn Chavira, Tucson, Ariz.
Anna Crutchfield, Travelers Rest, S.C.
Takesha Edward, Houston, Texas
Rashida Ellis, Lynn, Mass.(2013 Youth National Champion)
Felisha Estrada Gonzalez, Colorado Springs, Colo.
Mary Hazen, Cheboygan, Mich.
Amy Hester, Ralston, Neb.
Denene Heyward, San Marcos, Texas
Nakarri Jones, Tampa, Fla. (2015 USA Boxing National Championships silver medalist)
Samantha Kinchen, Lexington, Ky. (2013 Youth National Champion and World Championships bronze medalist)
Elizabeth Leddy, Portland, Maine
Kendra Macon, Charlotte, N.C.
Chasity Martin, Pompano Beach, Fla.
Amelia Moore, Millersville, Md.
Alexis Morant, Brooklyn, N.Y.
Temitope Pedro, San Francisco, Calif.
N'Yteeyah Sherman, Akron, Ohio (2012 Olympic Trials participant)
Jasmine Singh, Anaheim, Calif.
Kymmberli Stowe, Charlotte, N.C.
Gerrica Trias, Long Beach, Calif.
Queen Underwood, Seattle, Wash. (2012 U.S. Olympian)
Carmen Vargas, Houston, Texas
Mioshia Wagoner, Lawrence, Kansas
Alexandria Williams, Elmont, N.Y.
Kyana Williams, Providence, R.I.
Taylor Williams, Seatac, Wash.
Middleweight/165 lbs
Emily Atwood, Fairhope, Ala.
Schemelle Baldwin, Wilmington, Del.
Jennifer Barnes, Little Rock, Ark.
Jessica Bass, Stockbridge, Ga.
Franchon Crews, Baltimore, Md. (Multi-time national champion and two-time World Championships medalist)
Krystal Dixon, New Rochelle, N.Y. (2014 USA Boxing heavyweight national champion)
Martha Fabela, Oakland, Calif. (2015 Youth National Champion)
Heidi Henriksen, St. Louis Park, Minn. (2014 USA Boxing National Championships silver medalist)
Brittany Inkrote, York, Pa.
Iesha Kenney, Alexandria, Va. (Two-time youth national champion and world championships bronze medalist)
Cierra Taylor, Rochester, N.Y.
Kayla Trotter, Smyrna, Tenn.
For more information about the Olympic Trials process and the qualified athletes, go to www.usaboxing.org.
USA Boxing, as the national governing body for Olympic-style boxing, is the United States' member organization of the International Amateur Boxing Association (AIBA) and a member of the United States Olympic Committee (USOC).
As the Sports Commission of Maryland, Maryland Sports enhances Maryland's economy, image and quality of life through the attraction, promotion, retention and development of regional, national and international sporting events. Visit the Maryland Sports website www.marylandsports.us
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