In the early hours of March 10, Vietnam time, the Vietnamese boxing squad resumed participation in the Olympic qualifying event in Italy. During this round, boxer Vo Thi Kim Anh competed in the 1/16 round of the women's 54kg category, facing off against Hanna Lakotar from Hungary.
"Ahead of the match, we emphasized to the coaching staff the importance of maintaining Anh's focus and, most importantly, ensuring that the athlete had self-confidence. Vo Thi Kim Anh delivered a strong performance in this match," shared the head of the Vietnamese boxing team at the tournament, Mr. Dam Cong Dien, as he communicated from Italy.
Throughout all three rounds, Anh took a proactive approach, dictating the match's pace and consistently forcing her opponent to defend. This assertiveness earned Anh more favor from the technical judges than Hanna Lakotar. At the end of the three rounds, Vo Thi Kim Anh received a total score from five judges: 29-28, 30-26, 29-28, 30-27, and 29-28. With a unanimous 5-0 decision, Anh claimed her place in the round of 1/8 (quarter-finals). According to the rules, athletes who advance to the semi-finals (the top four boxers with the best records) will earn a ticket to the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. If successful, Vo Thi Kim Anh will have the opportunity to secure this ticket to Paris for Vietnamese boxing.
In the quarter-finals, Vo Thi Kim Anh's opponent will be Islem Ferchichi from Tunisia.
On the same day, boxer Luu Diem Quynh, competing in the 75kg women's category, encountered Wojcik Elzbieta from Poland. Unfortunately, she was defeated, marking the end of her journey in the tournament.
As a result, the Vietnamese boxing team now solely relies on Vo Thi Kim Anh, who continues to compete in her category at the Olympic qualifying round in Italy.
