Fauldhouse boxer Reese Lynch says he’s ‘ecstatic’ after becoming the first-ever Scot to pick up a medal at the AIBA World Championships.
The 20-year-old scooped bronze in the competition, which features the top amateur boxers in the world, and says he’s targeting a Commonwealth Games call next year - and eyeing up the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Lynch picked up the medal in the 63.5kg category. He breezed past Iran’s Ashkan Rezai and Adrian Thiam of Spain in the first two rounds to secure a quarter-final clash with Kazakhstan’s Sanatali Toltayev.
A much closer fight, the Rob Roy boxer prevailed to secure his place in the semi-final - and guarantee a first medal for his country.
He put up a spirited display in a narrow defeat to Turkey’s Kerem Ozmen but reflected positively on his experience in Belgrade.
Speaking to the Courier, he commented: “I’m absolutely ecstatic to have won a medal. It’s a huge achievement and I’m delighted.
“It’s a huge tournament so for me to go out there and get a medal just proves to me that I’m at that level where I can compete against the best.
“It’s also a huge moment for Scottish boxing. I’m delighted with the individual success obviously, but it’s just great for boxing in this country that someone was able to go there and get a medal.
“It just shows to the next generation of boxers what they can do because if I can do it then anyone else can.”
He added: “It was a huge confidence boost for me to go over there and perform so well.
“I was really pleased with my performances and to be fair even in the semi-final where I lost, there wasn’t much in it at all. Fair play to him, he caught me a good one at the start of the third but if it hadn’t been for that, it could have gone either way.”
He admits he’s done himself no harm in terms of being part of Scotland’s Commonwealth Games team next year in Birmingham - but says he’s not about to take his eye off the ball as he strives for future success.
He commented: “The Commonwealth Games is my next big goal. I’d like to think I’ve pencilled my name in with this medal but there is no danger of me taking it for granted or slacking off.
“I still need to give it everything and prove that I deserve my place.
“After that then the next big aim would be the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. That would be a real dream come true.”
He added: “I’d like to turn pro one day but there’s no rush for me. The Commonwealth Games and Olympic Games are definitely competitions I want to be part of and then we’ll take it from there.”
While the proud Fauldhouse lad was in the ring himself, he admits it was a team effort behind him that led to his success - and who will play a big part in any future success.
He said: “There’s a lot of people who have given up time and effort to help me win that medal and it wouldn’t have been possible without them.
“My family, my brothers Dean and Ped. Everyone at Rob Roy and all the coaches who have pushed me to get better and the team at Boxing Scotland, which is a sepcial group to be involved with.
“And the whole Fauldhouse community. They’ve been great with me ever since I got into boxing and have been hugely supportive. It’s great to be able to bring an international medal back to Fauldhouse.”
There may well be many more medals returning to the village over the course of the young boxing star’s career.
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