Hampshire teen boxer wins first international competition

Amelie Cornish-Gale, who’s been training with Winchester Boxing Club for a year, made her mark in Sweden, winning her category at the Golden Girls tournament this month in her international debut.

The Peter Symonds student, from Kimpton near Andover, is at the club in Barfield Close, Bar End, nearly every day but has only been competing since September.

The rising star has already achieved her level-one boxing coaching qualification and hopes to continue to pursue the sport as a career.

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Amelie in the ring (Image: Danny Barnes)

Amelie said: “I’ve been kickboxing since I was 13 but I really wanted to compete and there isn’t much opportunity for that in kickboxing and I can train a lot more with this. I want to do as many competitions as possible.

“Winning the tournament was brilliant, it was everything. I was quite ill in the run-up before but I managed to pull it off on the day so I’m very happy.

“You just get a massive adrenaline rush before hand, I think my coach was more nervous than I was. I always get really excited before

“Boxing is such a good way to meet different people and have lots of different opportunities. It’s definitely something I want to do long term and potentially get a job in.

The judges announced Amelie as the winner at the competition on Sunday, February 4, with the teen boxer winning the bout with a unanimous standing eight count, which is the equivalent to the competitor being knocked down.

Next, the athlete hopes to compete in more women’s boxing cups around the country as well as club shows.

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Coach Rocky and boxer Amelie at Winchester Boxing Club (Image: Adele Bouchard)

Coach Rocky Penny said: “She’s clearing up at the moment. I’m really impressed. It’s not easy to come in and train as often and as dedicated as she does when you have college and a life outside too. It shows that anyone who puts the work in will get better.

“I said she would beat her even though she was a good, strong competitor. It’s hard not being able to get and do it yourself but I knew she had it under control.

Winchester Boxing Club has more than 200 members aged from five to 70. Rocky hopes the club will be able to find bigger premises to facilitate its booming membership. The coach is setting up disability classes for people living with Parkinson’s and other disabilities as well as learning difficulties.

Rocky said: “For every child that comes through the door, that’s another person who’s not loitering around somewhere. It gives them discipline and teaches them how to have a healthy lifestyle, channel their anger and be respectful. If you get knocked down you have to get back up again, just like in the real world.”