The Australian Olympic Committee has announced the selection of the six boxers to represent Australia at the Tokyo Olympics, with all set to make their Olympic debut.
Skye Nicolson and Caitlin Parker will contest the women’s feather and middle weight classes respectively, while Paulo Aokuso, Harry Garside, Justis Huni and Alex Winwood will contest the men’s light-heavyweight, lightweight, super heavyweight and flyweight divisions.
The selection takes the number of selected athletes into triple figures, with 102 athletes now selected for Tokyo.
Aokuso, Huni, Nicolson, Parker and Winwood secured their quota at the Asian Qualification Tournament in Amman Jordan in February last year, one of the last global sporting events held before the pandemic postponed international competition.
With the final global boxing qualifying tournament scheduled for June this year cancelled by the IOC in February, Garside’s world ranking secured his quota for selection.
Despite the team all making their Olympic debut, they have extensive international experience at the highest levels, with Nicolson and Huni both winning World Championship bronze in 2019, Garside and Nicolson winning Commonwealth Games gold in 2018 and Parker winning bronze at the 2014 Youth Olympics in Nanjing.
Chef de Mission Ian Chesterman congratulated the boxers on their selection.
“I’m thrilled to welcome Alex, Caitlin, Harry, Justis, Paulo and Skye to the Australian Olympic Team for Tokyo,” Chesterman said.
“More than a year after winning their way through the qualifying tournament in Jordan, this is a special day to be officially selected to their debut Olympics.
“They have shown incredible fortitude and commitment to stay ready and keep working to be at their best for Tokyo. Their selection is a fantastic recognition and reward for the many years of work they have put in, in gyms, in the ring and competing internationally, to reach this milestone.
“It’s also a day for the families, friends, supporters and teammates of the boxers to celebrate this achievement and to thank Boxing Australia, the coaching and support staff for all the work they have put in to help these athletes realise their Olympic dream.”
Today’s selection brings the number of selected athletes in the Australian Olympic Team to 102 of an expected 450-480, with Alex Winwood the first Indigenous athlete selected for Tokyo.
The 23-year-old flyweight from Western Australia is thrilled to lock in his selection for Tokyo.
“Being able to represent my country and my heritage is exactly who I am, I want to bring everyone together, my country and my people at the same time,´ Winwood said.
“With everything that happened since I qualified, it’s just such a relief that I’m at this point now, getting ready for the Games and finally being announced to the team.”
At the ASICS uniform launch last month, a special shirt incorporating a design by Olympic boxer Paul Fleming was unveiled as a central part of every Australian athlete’s uniform.
“I’ve gotten to know Paul better over the last year, I absolutely love it. I love the fact that the Olympics is bringing athletes together, especially Indigenous athletes, so we can spread our heritage and our stories through the Games, which is the biggest platform in the sporting world."
Queenslander Nicolson’s selection continues a family legacy, with her brother Jamie boxing for Australia at Barcelona in 1992. Tragically, both Jamie and younger brother Gavin were killed in a car accident on the Gold Coast in 1994, a year before Skye was born.
The 25-year-old Queenslander now adds the Olympic bond to their incredible shared connection.
“I feel very proud, and like I’ve made my family really proud,” said Nicolson. “It’s so special I can have this connection to Jamie following in the same footsteps, and for sport to have that power to build such an ongoing connection between us.
“Honestly it still doesn’t feel real, the delay has felt so long, it’s so exciting to officially be named on the Olympic team.
“The wait has been hard, but I’m more focused than ever on getting to Tokyo and winning Australia’s first ever Olympic gold medal in boxing. That’s the ultimate goal. It’s all the one percenters, getting to bed, avoiding distractions, doing everything I can, every minute of every day, so I can bring the best version of me to the ring in Tokyo.”
