CLEARY’S Boxing Gym fighters Jaya Kalsi and Serena Mali were crowned England Boxing National Schools champions as the pair fought their way to victory in Guildford.
The Championships took place at Guildford Spectrum as 13-year-old Kalsi won her second national title and 14-year-old Mali claimed her third national crown.
Kalsi, who attends Aylesford School Warwick, received the gold medal and golden gloves whilst she also won the Boxer of the Tournament award for her efforts.
The teenager beat Eva Brookbank (Gladiators ABC) in the pre-quarter-finals before she stopped Kiera Foster (Barum ABC) in the semi-finals.
And Kalsi proved too strong for former champion Georgia White (Newquay ABC) in the final to be crowned champion in the Female Class B Under 48kg category.
This success was followed by Mali’s triumph as the Myton School pupil also took gold and received golden gloves whilst also coming out on top in the Fight of the Tournament.
Mali defeated a Sheffield City ABC fighter in the pre-quarter-finals as she claimed a unanimous decision victory against the Yorkshire champion in her opponents home city.
And Mali then beat the Merseyside champion to secure her place at the National Finals.
In front of England selectors, Mali showed her class to secure a second round stoppage win against Ellie Spencer (Sudbury ABC) to advance to the final.
And Mali then saved her best display until last as she won all five rounds to beat European medallist Ruby Took (Crowle ABC) to secure her second national title in the Under 51kg category.
The pair will return to the ring for the GB Three Nations event in June with the European Championships to take place in August.
Trainer Edwin Cleary said: “With Jaya’s and Serena’s achievements over the last three years, I am hoping it will bring in more female boxers into boxing and the new gym.”
Another Cleary’s fighter secured bronze at the National Schools Championships as 14-year-old Mason Strangewood was beaten in the semi-finals of the Male Class B Under 70kg category.
Strangewood said: “It was a great experience, I felt hard done by the referee but I’m young and still learning and when I get back to Leamington I’m going straight back to the gym and will come back stronger.”
