AN Australian representative dream could be in the pipeline for one of Sunraysia’s brightest boxing stars.
Lainesia Toutai, 14, has been competing for less than a year but is already an Australian champion after winning gold in the girls’ 60kg division at the Australian Schools Boxing Championship in Adelaide last week.
This followed a win at the Australian Club Championships in May, when she was also named the Under 15 Boxer of the Tournament.
Now the Ladd’s Boxing Club student is in line for Australian selection for next year’s IBA Junior World Boxing Championships; however, the tournament is still to be confirmed.
It’s been a rapid rise for Toutai, who followed in the footsteps of older brothers Gab and Henry in pulling on the gloves.
“I’m lost for words,” she said of her gold medal.
“It’s such big deal for all the hard work you put in behind the scenes and to get something out of it is overwhelming.
“I feel like I’m coming along.
“I’ve got good coaches behind me and good people surrounding me– I reckon that’s the best thing you can do when you’re trying to get to the top.
“To represent at the worlds would be huge.
“I’ve been boxing for not even a year yet so to be able to go to worlds would be too good.
“I’m hoping to really do the gym proud and myself proud.”
Following a hard-fought victory over NSW opponent Alyssa Costa where both fighters were on the receiving end of eight-counts, Toutai turned heads with an impressive performance to claim the gold against current Australian Youth Girls champion Oceana Stevenson of Western Australia.
Two other Ladd’s fighters also claimed medals, with pint-sized pugilist Ruby Darcy impressing on the way to a silver medal in the 38kg division and Robert Burns doing the same in the 52kg division.
Toutai said she was still thinking about how close her bout against Costa was.
“I’d previously fought her at NSW King of the Ring and I walked in there thinking ‘I’m going to beat her’,” she said.
“She showed me that you can never underestimate anyone regardless of other results because she came in and showed me what she could do.
“If I didn’t get the last eight count it would have been a hard choice, so it might have been a bit lucky for me at the end.”
Ladd’s owner and coach Steven Ladd said the result was a just reward for the talented Toutai.
“She hasn’t surprised us because we can see what’s been happening: it’s just step by step and she’s grown through the whole year,” he said.
“To go to Adelaide for the Australian championships and not only to get one win but to beat the current Australian champion and stop her in the second round, and for people to recognise her talent, is good not only for Lainesia but good for boxing and great for women’s sport as well.
“They (boxing authorities) are talking about the worlds now.
“That’s early next year so if that comes about she’ll be selected for that.”
Next Saturday Ladd’s Boxing Club hosts the second annual Hogarth Cup at the Mildura Basketball Stadium from 6pm.
