MOROCCAN FEMALE BOXERS TRAINING IN MONTENEGRO FOR SERBIA WORLD TOURNAMENT
Morocco are aiming to surpass their impressive performance in last year’s Women’s World Boxing Championships in New Delhi, India.
The Moroccans have pitched camp in Budva, Montenegro, for this year’s Women’s Worlds in Nis, Serbia between March 8-16.
Team manager Nabil Hilmi, who is now the vice-president of Royal Moroccan Boxing Federation (FRMB), said they will train in Budva for two weeks ahead of the World Championships.
Hlimi said Morocco will be represented by eight boxers in Serbia among them their star pugilists in the 2023 Worlds in New Delhi, Khadija Mardi and Yasmin Mouttaki. Mardi became the first Arab and African female boxer to win a gold medal in the World Championships and Mouttaki settled for bronze.
“They have taken part in a build-up tournament in Belgrade, now they’re training in Budva before the competition,” said Hlimi.
In addition to defending heavyweight champion Mardi and Mouttaki, other boxers in the team are minimumweight Rabab Cheddar, flyweight Imane Azami, two-time Africa bantamweight champion and Paris Olympics quarter-finalist Wydad Bertal, welterweight Mounia Toutir, light-middleweight Saida Lahmidi and light-heavweight Hasna Larti.
Cuba’s Juan Carlos is the head coach assisted by Barki Ahmed.
