Canada doubles up on Pan Am boxing gold on Day 15
Saturday night’s alright for fighting, especially when two Canadian women were going for gold in the boxing ring.
Mandy Bujold successfully defended her Pan Am Games title in the women’s flyweight (48-51kg) category. She defeated American Marlen Esparza, a 2012 Olympic bronze medallist and reigning world champion, on a 2-1 decision. Bujold was the more composed boxer throughout the match, with Esparza telling her coach prior to the third and final round that she was indeed fighting back.
Canada’s Mandy Bujold, right, battles with Marlen Esparza of the U.S. in their women’s flyweight boxing final at the Pan Am Games.
Bujold closed the match with a flurry of punches and began to celebrate prior to the referee making the decision official. The gold medal was also the perfect present for the now 28-year-old.
“The energy in the building is what really pushed me,” said Bujold. “It’s my birthday as well, so the gold medal is icing on the cake.”
Caroline Veyre reacts after defeating Dayana Sanchez of Argentina in the women’s 57-60kg lightweight gold medal boxing final during the Pan American Games.
In the final boxing match of the Games, Caroline Veyre defeated Argentina’s Dayana Sanchez 2-0 in the lightweight (57-60kg) division to win Canada’s third gold and sixth medal in boxing of Toronto 2015. The two-time national champion is a relative newcomer to major international competition, having only made her debut at the AIBA Women’s World Championships in 2014.
“Being in front of all of these Canadians, you want to win because everyone is screaming for you,” said Veyre. “There is more pressure, but if you use that pressure well that’s what helps you to win.”
