A. Starovoitova also won the bronze medal in 2022. at the European Championship, and after withdrawing from the fight for a higher quality medal in Belgrade, she also did not participate in the awarding ceremony of the winners.
“I, we, the entire boxing community decided this and I think that there is no need to be proud of it, because we simply support Ukraine, bad things are happening. I don’t even know what else to say because there are so many emotions. I’m not proud of it, we just did what we had to do. This is the least we could do to show that we support them,” said the bronze medalist who returned to her hometown.
European Boxing Championship bronze medalist Ana Starovoitova is back
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European boxing championship bronze medalist Ana Starovoitova is back (Paulius Peleckis/BNS photo)
European boxing championship bronze medalist Ana Starovoitova is back (Paulius Peleckis/BNS photo)
European boxing championship bronze medalist Ana Starovoitova is back (Paulius Peleckis/BNS photo)
European boxing championship bronze medalist Ana Starovoitova is back (Paulius Peleckis/BNS photo)
European boxing championship bronze medalist Ana Starovoitova is back (Paulius Peleckis/BNS photo)
European boxing championship bronze medalist Ana Starovoitova is back (Paulius Peleckis/BNS photo)
European boxing championship bronze medalist Ana Starovoitova is back (Paulius Peleckis/BNS photo)
European boxing championship bronze medalist Ana Starovoitova is back (Paulius Peleckis/BNS photo)
European boxing championship bronze medalist Ana Starovoitova is back (Paulius Peleckis/BNS photo)
European boxing championship bronze medalist Ana Starovoitova is back (Paulius Peleckis/BNS photo)
Ana Starovoitova (Paulius Peleckis/ BNS photo)
European boxing championship bronze medalist Ana Starovoitova is back (Paulius Peleckis/BNS photo)
A. Starovoitova: we decided not to box with the aggressor country
Until now, the International Boxing Association (IBA) is headed by Russian businessman Umar Kremliov, and it was the athletes of this sport who were first allowed to return to the international arena in 2022. Russian and Belarusian boxers can also compete under their flag and with their anthems in IBA competitions.
Due to her support for Ukraine, A. Starovoitova received huge support from her compatriots in the social space, and she was greeted like a champion at the Vilnius airport.
“This medal is the most memorable for me, because there was a lot of preparation, Russians and Belarusians participated in this European Championship, you know, we know, you know that we already decided not to box with the aggressor country, there was a European selection tournament and the whole team was there, including me, we decided that we are really going, but not boxing, and I myself offered not to even get on the podium, because it’s not the emotional state, it’s not the time to do that when there’s a war,” said A. Starovoitova.
A. Starovoitova’s decision not to box with the representative of Russia also attracted the attention of the country’s president, Gitan Nausėda. The woman from Klaipėda said she did not know about it.
“To be honest, I didn’t even see it. I knew he would write and call. My brother dropped me a photo. It’s nice, but that’s all. I love boxing, I do what I know and love, everyone would be happy, but nothing will change from that,” said A. Starovoitova.
Thailand will try to qualify for the Paris Games
In the quarterfinals of the women’s weight category up to 60 kilograms, A. Starovoitova defeated Sheila Martinez Perez from Spain by a unanimous decision of the judges 5:0.
Even before the first world selection tournament, the national team chose A. Starovoitova as its captain. According to the athlete, who also works as a boxing coach in the port city, such symbolic responsibilities became an impulse for her to achieve the best possible sports shape and an incentive to prove to others that she is worth it.
“They said that the captain has to set an example or you will be suspended, so I tried”, – she did not lack a good sense of humor.
After winning bronze in Serbia, A. Starovoitova gained the right to compete in the last Olympic selection tournament in Thailand with three other Lithuanian representatives.
“A lot of responsibility. I am very happy that I have the conditions to go, I got another chance to fight in the selection. Years are just a number, I’ll put it this way. And I wish the team to relax during the fight, because we want to win so much that we forget how we can box”, she was happy.
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