Rio 2016:N'Dam secures historic place at boxing qualifier

Former world champions Amnat Ruenrong of Thailand and Cameroon’s Hassan N’Dam both secured places at Rio 2016 with semi-final victories at the World Series of Boxing (WSB)/AIBA Pro Boxing (APB) Olympic Qualification Tournament in Vargas.

The duo became the first professionals to book a place at the Olympic Games following a controversial ruling passed at the International Boxing Association (AIBA) Extraordinary Congress on June 1.

A total of 16 boxers sealed their Rio 2016 berth during a packed-day of semi-finals, with a further 10 due to be decided tomorrow.

Ruenrong, the International Boxing Federation flyweight title holder until October of last year when he suffered defeat to Johnriel Casimero of the Philippines, ensured he would get the chance to compete at next month’s Olympics as he overcame Italian Carmine Tommasone in their lightweight bout.

The Thai boxer had the edge on his opponent throughout the contest and was awarded the victory on all three judges’ scorecards.

The 36-year-old will be hoping to improve on his last Olympic appearance in the Brazilian city as he lost in the quarter-finals at Beijing 2008.

Mexico Guerreros’ Lindolfo Delgado was the recipient of the second Rio 2016 slot in the category as he proved too strong for Yasin Yilmaz of Turkey.

N’Dam, a former World Boxing Organisation interim middleweight champion, clinched his Olympic spot by beating Ukraine’s Denys Solonenko with a unanimous win.

The Cameroonian also has previous Olympic experience, reaching the last eight at Athens 2004.

Venezuelan AMBC American Confederation Champion Yoel Finol overcame Ukraine’s Maksym Fatych in the flyweight division to seal one of the two quotas on offer, with the other going to Germany’s Hamza Touba following his triumph over Polis Colombia’s Ceiber David Avila.

“I am over the moon that my dream has come true after ten years of hard work and seven years of boxing in international competitions,” Touba said.

Elsewhere, Juan Pablo Romero added a place for Mexico with a narrow victory over Spain’s Youba Ndiaye Sissokho at welterweight, while Germany’s Arajik Marutjan also guaranteed a spot at Rio 2016 by defeating India’s Neeraj Goyat.

Carlos Eduardo Quipo of Ecuador put in a controlled performance on his way to a unanimous triumph against Argentina’s Leandro Blanc in the light flyweight division to punch his ticket to next month’s Games.

Mexico’s WSB star Joselito Velasquez will also be there as he eliminated South Korea’s Jonghun Shin.

Marlo Delgado followed in compatriot Quipo’s footsteps as he overcame Turkey’s Onder Sipal at middleweight and Venezuela’s experienced Endry Saavedra emerged victorious in the other semi-final, ending Xhek Paskali of Germany’s Olympic dream.