Chelsey Heijnen caused a sensation on Monday at the World Boxing Championships in Istanbul. The Dutch qualified for the semi-finals of the global final tournament on her debut.
The 23-year-old Heijnen was too strong for the Italian Assunta Canfora in the quarterfinals of the category between 60 and 63 kilograms. After three rounds, she was declared the winner by the jury.
In the semifinals, Heijnen will meet Imane Khelif from Algeria. That match is scheduled for next Wednesday. The final is a day later.
Heijnen has only been active as a boxer since 2015. Before that, the resident of Roosendaal played rugby sevens. Two years after her move to the ring, she became European champion under eighteen.
With her place in the quarter-finals, Heijnen had already seized an A status from sports umbrella organization NOC*NSF, giving her a full income. After two-time Olympic medalist Nouchka Fontijn retired last year, there were no longer any Dutch boxers with an A status.
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