Five-strong contingent for Junior finals weekend
Five of the best Shropshire prospects are going to finals weekend in the England Junior Championships next month.
A win and a walk over past the quarter-finals made up the list of fighters from the county who are gunning for national titles,
The semi-finals and final will be staged by the Heart of Portsmouth outfit on the South Coast, over two days on the weekend commencing April 2.
Bouts are contested over three three minutes, with the last four draw for each weight computerised at the venue on the day.
The second national tournament on the unpaid calendar for 2016 continues with two divisions separated by age, one encompassing 2000-2001 born entrants and another solely for 2001.
The last eight clashes took place at the Meres Leisure Centre in Grantham last Saturday, where Raheem Mohammed and Bridie O'Keefe both progressed.
Wellington's Mohammed, representing Merridale Boxing Club in Wolverhampton, took on Shepshed's Kian Corssen at 48kg in the 2001 only 'cadet' class.
For the third Junior outing in succession, he handed his opponent a standing count. Corssen was rattled in the first round, but battled on to the finish.
Mohammed had his hand raised by unanimous points decision for a second time, after starting out in the competition with a first round TKO.
To make it a double delight, he has since received a letter to inform him he has been offered a place on the England Boxing Talent Programme.
Down the weights at 42kg in the 2001 only category, Donnington's Bradley Thompson sat out last weekend on a bye.
Thompson, with two points victories under his belt in the tournament so far, is looking to emulate his run to the Schools final last year.
Three Shropshire girls are still involved in their respective 2000-01 section with O'Keefe, from Salopian in Shrewsbury, handed a bye to finals weekend at 63kg.
Telford duo Simran Kaur and Kara Murray, again with Merridale, were already through. Kaur will have five at her weight of 48kg when that comes to pass.
Murray has been handed a great opportunity to claim her first national title. She boxes a straight final at 60kg against the well-schooled Elisha Mannouch, from Swale Gloves in Kent.
She may be able to get the inside track on Mannouch from O'Keefe, who had her and another national champion in Paige Goodyear down at Salopian for the gym's first female sparring day.
