Page 40 - issue19.04.2019
P. 40
Royal Air Force News Friday, April 19, 2019 P32 Follow us @rafnewssport /sportrafnews
Inside line Getting behind the face of RAF sport
Inter’s-Stellar
Fantastic return of two wins sees association close the gap on others
BLOODY BATTLE: Cpl Hall produced a display that stood him in good stead for next year
TEAM TOGETHER: Above, the team following a hugely succesful UKAF event, L-R, Sqn Ldr Andy Parker, SAC Keiran Bailey, Chf Tech Darren Cullingford, Cpl Nathan Hall, Sgt Russ Turnbull, SAC Brad
Axe, Sgt Stu Mack and SAC Ricki Lyon PHOTO: SBS
STAFF REPORTER
HMS Nelson, Portsmouth
A WARNING salvo was defiantly fired across “ This was an evening of
the bows of Army and Royal Navy boxing after a top-class boxing, that had a
fantastic return of two RAF title wins at the recent bittersweet taste for us, as we
UKAF Elite Boxing Finals at HMS Nelson.
With a team of three boxers representing the remain the only amateur team
Service and two, SAC Ricki Lyon and team captain in the competition
SAC Kieran Bailey successfully defending their ”
crowns at the Royal Navy hosted event, the return
is a massive step forward for the ever-improving
association, off the back of a superb overseas warm-
weather training camp in Tenerife. Bailey against the surprisingly less experienced Pte
With the Army already three titles ahead of the Jordan Bracken of the Army Elite Team.
chasing pack, due to walkovers in various weight In his first UKAF Elite appearance, SAC Brad
categories, the team trophy was no longer within Axe was up against the vastly more experienced
reach of the light blue boxers; although places in LCpl Josh Plummer.A gutsy display of skill and
the National Championships was at stake for the tenacity saw Axe test one of the Army’s best chances
individual winners. for national glory. With both men giving their all, a
First up for the RAF was England’s top five ranked packed arena applauded the tight split decision.
flyweight, SAC Lyon, who repeated his dominant RAF Boxing Association chairman, Sqn Ldr Karl
victory from last year, against the highly skilled Whalley, said: “This was an evening of top-class
Army fighter Cpl Shamim Khan. This was quickly boxing, that had a bittersweet taste for us, as we
STRETCHING: SAC Lyons on his way to victory PHOTOS: SBS followed with a convincing win for SAC Kieran remain the only amateur team in the competition,
