Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

BOXING

Updated at 11:40 am on 23 July 2012

While the London Games are the first Olympics to include women's boxing, New Zealand has had some boxing success in the men's events over the years.

Ted Morgan won Olympic gold in the welterweight division in Amsterdam in 1928, Kevin Barry secured a silver in the 75-81kg light-heavyweight division at the Los Angeles Games in 1984, while heavyweight David Tua won a bronze medal at the Barcelona Olympics in 1992.

However, no men have made grade for this year's Games.

New Zealand will be represented by Aucklanders Siona Fernandes in the 51kg flyweight division and Alexis Pritchard in the 60kg lightweight category who cemented their spots at the women's world amateur championships in China in May this year.

Pritchard has been participating in boxing since 2003 and was ranked 12th in the world in 2011. Originally from South Africa, the 28-year-old and has been in New Zealand for 12 years.

Fernandes, 29, only took up the sport in 2010. She moved to New Zealand from India five years ago and is also a classical Indian dancer with a bachelor's degree in performing arts and a master's in psychology.

Team

Siona Fernandes (flyweight), Alexis Pritchard (lightweight).

Some information sourced from www.olympic.org.nz

Where and when

All 13 boxing events will be held at the ExCeL venue from 28 July to 12 August.

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