Medal hope to miss Beijing after failing to make lightweight limit

Medal hope to miss Beijing after failing to make lightweight limit

Frankie Gavin
Date of birth: September 28, 1985 (Birmingham)
Division: Lightweight, light-welterweight
Style: Southpaw
Honours: 2003 - European Junior Championship bronze; 2004/05 - Four-Nations Championships gold, ABA Championship gold; 2005 - European Amateur Championship bronze; 2006 - Commonwealth Games gold; 2006/07 - ABA Championship gold; 2007 - World Championship lightweight gold; 2008 - European Amateur Championships light-welterweight gold.

Frankie Gavin's Olympic dream is over after the world champion failed to make the lightweight limit.

The 22-year-old had been one of Team GB's big medal hopes in Beijing having become Britain's first ever world amateur champion in Chicago in November.

However, Gavin had only boiled down to the 60kg division having campaigned at light-welterweight - even winning the European Amateur Championships at 64kgs in June.

It was hoped he could drop down again for the Olympics, however he was forced to remain at the Great Britain holding camp in Macao in a desperate bid to lose the final few pounds ahead of Friday's weigh-in.

However, the British Olympic Association has now decided to pull Gavin out of the event with the Birmingham boxer still short of the limit.
Struggled

Boxing coach Terry Edwards revealed: "Frankie has been working his whole boxing career towards the Olympic Games and he is obviously completely devastated.

"Whilst the support staff down in Macau and I have done everything we could, regrettably it is clear that Frankie will not make his weight before tomorrow morning's weigh-in.

"It is the nature of our sport that we try and get our boxers to the top of their weight and it has been well documented that Frankie has struggled with this over recent months.

"My advice to him has been to take stock over the next couple of weeks and I will talk to him about his future as soon as I get home.

"I would ask that his privacy is respected during this difficult period and he is given the time to come to terms with the situation."

Questions will now be asked as to why Gavin was not aimed at the higher weight division - however in his absence it is Bradley Saunders in that 64kg category who will assume the position of Britain's brightest boxing medal hope.

Edwards added: "Frankie is leaving a very talented group of boxers here in Beijing, and our focus has never faltered from making sure they have the best preparation and support to allow them to perform to the best of their ability in the Olympic boxing ring."