(APR 22) USA Boxing is holding
its first multi-divisional training camp for both male and
female boxers at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado
Springs, Colo. The elite male athletes arrived last week while
all the junior boxers and elite females landing in the Pikes
Peak region on Sunday. Thirty-nine athletes are participating in
the major training camp under the tutelage of USA Boxing
International Teaching Coach Pedro Roque and seven personal
coaches assisting him in Colorado Springs. Following the camp,
the different age and gender groups will travel to a variety of
international competitions.
The ten elite men earned their spots at the recent USA Boxing
National Championships in Spokane, Wash., with nine of the 10
boxers winning gold and flyweight silver medalist Shawn Simpson
(Chicago, Ill.) joining the champions. The 2013 National
Champions taking part in the training camp are: light flyweight
Leroy Davila (New Brunswick, N.J.), bantamweight Eduardo
Martinez (Aurora, Calif.), lightweight Kenneth Sims, Jr.
(Chicago, Ill.), light welterweight Jose Alday (Odessa, Texas),
welterweight Jamontay Clark (Cincinnati, Ohio), middleweight
Leshawn Rodriguez (Shirley, N.Y.), light heavyweight Geremias
Torres (Holyoke, Mass.), heavyweight Michael Hilton (Trenton,
N.J.) and super heavyweight Cam Thompson (Kansas City, Kansas).
The elite men will all compete in the 2013 Cheo Aponte
Tournament in Puerto Rico following the training camp. Coach
Kevin Benford (Cincinnati, Ohio) will assist Coach Roque with
the elite men.
The newly crowned national champions in the elite women’s
division had a quick turnaround before heading to training camp
as well. The group, which includes an Olympic medalist and 2012
U.S. Olympian, boasts strong experience with a few newcomers
sprinkled in with the veterans. The elite women’s roster
includes: light flyweight Elisha Halstead (Philadelphia, Pa.),
2012 flyweight Olympic bronze medalist Marlen Esparza (Houston,
Texas), bantamweight Christina Cruz (New York, N.Y.),
featherweight Jennifer Hamann (Seattle, Wash.), 2012 U.S.
lightweight Olympian Queen Underwood (Seattle, Wash.), light
welterweight Bertha Aracil (Yonkers, N.Y.), welterweight
Danyelle Wolf (San Diego, Calif.), middleweight Franchon Crews
(Baltimore, Md.) light heavyweight Tiffanie Hearn, and
heavyweight Denise Rico (Los Angeles, Calif.). The elite women
will remain in training camp through May 11 before heading to
the Women’s Continental Championships in Puerto la Cruz,
Venezuela. Coaches Benny Roman (Brooklyn, N.Y.) and Eugene Hart
(Philadelphia, Pa.) are serving as the camp coaches for the
elite women.
The junior athletes will get the unique opportunity to train
side-by-side with their older counterparts at the Olympic
Training Center, and both groups are participating in a camp at
the OTC for the second time in 2013. The junior males will head
to the Victory Day Tournament in Uman, Ukraine following their
training camp for their first international competition of the
year. The 13 young men enjoying this outstanding competitive
experience are: light flyweight Jordan White (Waldorf, Md.),
flyweight Daniel Gonzalez (Moreno Valley, Calif.), flyweight
Evan Sanchez (Fresno, Calif.), light bantamweight Shakur
Stevenson (Newark, N.J.), bantamweight Devin Haney (Las Vegas,
Nev.), featherweight Michael Nelson (Mansfield, Ohio),
lightweight Keoni Adric, Jr. (Haleima, Hawaii), light
welterweight Brandon Trejo (Napa, Calif.), welterweight Javier
Estrada (Palmdale, Calif.), light middleweight Alexis Rocha
(Santa Ana, Calif.), and middleweight Eric Murguia (Mission
Hills, Calif.), light heavyweight Suray Mahmutovic (Daly City,
Calif.), and heavyweight Pano Tiatia (St. George, Utah). Coaches
Edward Rivas (Abilene, Texas), Willie Moses (Newark, N.J.) and
Omar Sanchez (Parlier, Calif.) will work with the junior men.
The junior girls took part in their first-ever training camp
just over a month ago and they are back for another round before
heading to Tampere, Finland for the Pirkka Tournament. Pinweight
Caitlin Orosco (Anaheim, Calif.), flyweight Nysja Barrientes
(Las Vegas, Nev.), light bantamweight Ashley Perez (Sparks,
Nev.), bantamweight Jessica Galvez (Sparks, Nev.), featherweight
Jajaira Gonzalez (Glendora, Calif.), and lightweight Iesha
Kenney (Alexandria, Va.) will represent Team USA at the training
camp and event. Coach Michael Newson (Las Vegas, Nev.) is back
for his second camp with the junior girls at the Olympic
Training Center.
The training camp will run through May 7 for all of the athletes
other than the elite women who will remain in Colorado Springs
until May 11.
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