The 19-year-old from Capitol Heights, MD has accomplished his dream -- he has made the United States Olympic Boxing Team!!
Today in Houston, TX, Russell defeated Roberto Marraquin of Dallas, TX 18-14 to win the berth on the team, becoming the first Beltway amateur to make the US Olympic team since Clarence Vinson in 2000. Vinson won a bronze medal in Barcelona, Spain.
According to USABoxing.org, Russell came out strong and took a 7-2 lead at the end of the first. Each boxer scored four points in the second, allowing Russell, Jr. to maintain his five point lead. Russell was up 16-9 going into the last round and although he scored only two points to Marroquin’s five, he held on to win.
Russell was the only boxer in the tournament who won a spot on the Olympic team by boxing out of the Challenger's Bracket.
So ladies and gentlemen, this is your 2008 United States Olympic Team (photo by Scott Foster):
Light Flyweight: Luis Yanez (Duncanville, Texas)
Flyweight: Rau'shee Warren (Cincinnati, Ohio)
Bantamweight: Gary Russell, Jr. (Capitol Heights, Md.)
Featherweight: Raynell Williams (Cleveland, Ohio)
Lightweight: Sadam Ali (Brooklyn, N.Y.)
Light Welterweight: Javier Molina (Commerce, Calif.)
Welterweight: Demetrius Andrade (Providence, R.I.)
Middleweight: Shawn Estrada (Downey, Calif.)
Light Heavyweight: Christopher Downs (Fort Carson, Colo.)
Heavyweight: Deontay Wilder (Tuscaloosa, Ala.)
Super Heavyweight: Michael Hunter (Las Vegas, Nev.)
Congratulations to all!!
6 comments:
Nice work Gary!!!!!
After reading about Deontay Wilder in the Post, at http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/08/22/AR2007082202814.html also cool to have him make it.
Digital, how is scoring done in the Olympics? It doesn't seem like 10 pts/judge/round
To the Russell family and all involved in the years of building this young man,Congradulations and
nothing can stop you now.
Best of luck from Scott and Andrew
Farmer and those at Left Hook Boxing.
That is a beautiful thing. I remember watching him when I had just started as an amateur, I was like wow look a that little guy. Now he has grown into form and ready to crush the world. Congrats to the Russell family and the beltway cause this is our champion.
Darnell Wilson
Gary has earned everything he has gained. God Bless him and his family. I for one am so very proud of him.
its great,best news we got in a long time. gary sr gary jr your did your thing
Great father, great son, great FAMILY. I know you'll do us all around the beltway and all across the USA proud. Best of luck,
Mike Sawyer
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