Tokyo Olympics: Gu Hong takes silver after split decision loss in welterweight final, first boxing medal for China
- China’s Gu takes silver after scrappy welterweight final
- Turkey’s Surmeneli grabs gold via split decision
Welterweight Gu Hong grabbed China’s first boxing medal of these Games at the Kokugikan Arena on Saturday after an ugly final bout against Turkey’s Busenaz Surmeneli went against her on the judges’ scorecards.
The Chinese second seed was unable to implement the game plan that had been so effective for her during the welterweight campaign. Attempting to fight at range, she was continually stymied by the aggressive Surmeneli’s willingness to make the fight a shoot-out at close quarters.
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Gu was penalised for repeated holding in round two and it was to be damaging to her hopes of gold in what was an even fight save for the deduction. Surmeneli narrowly took the gold 3-0 on the scorecards after three scrappy rounds.
China is guaranteed at least another boxing silver medal when Li Qian meets Great Britain’s Lauren Price in the final of the women’s middleweight category on Sunday.
China last won a boxing gold in 2012 when Zou Shiming won the light-flyweight final.