All Stars' magnificent seven
Above: The All Star boxers who represented Queensland at the Australian Schools Championships in Darwin.
All Star Boxing Academy has led Queensland to the top of the gold medal table at the Australian Schools Championships in Darwin.
The Lawnton gym won seven of Queensland’s 17 golds – seven more than NSW and Victoria – saying it was an “incredible result for our little club”.
All Star Boxing Academy (ASB) also matched West Australia’s haul and beat the combined gold-medal total of South Australia (2), Tasmania (1) and the ACT (1).
Darcy O’Malley won the Youth Men’s 60kg gold and Best Under 19 Boxer trophy, while Pierson Faapito took the U15 Boys 54kg division and Best Under 15 Boxer award.
There were also golds for Aaron Taggart (U13 Boys 44kg), Tyson Harrington (U15 Boys 40kg), Cooper Zann (U15 Boys 48kg), Taj Harrington (Youth Men’s 50kg) and Stewart Taggart (Junior Boys 57kg).
Swayze Faapito won silver in the Under 15 Boys 52kg division and CJ Hill in the Junior Boys 75kg. Chaise Courtney was also in the 10-strong ASB contingent in Queensland’s team.
Phoenix Morrisey, Tanah Harrington, Presley Faapito, Scarlett Manthey all won state titles to earn places at nationals but did not get matched.
“We’re very proud of all the guys,” said All Star Boxing coach Paul Utia, who went to Darwin with fellow Academy coach Herb Taggart.
“All their hard work, all the training, paid off. Some have been here since they were nine, 10 or 11. That’s the development coming through!”
Ben Harrington, founder and owner of ASB, said: “We’ve had that (medal) return the last four-five years, but it is big when you think of the other states.
“As a system, as a club, it has taken years to have kids like Darcy and Taj coming through. They started at eight-nine-10 years old and are now 17-18. They are very experienced.”
O’Malley was confident going to Darwin and backed himself “the whole way ... from the get go.”
“It started with the prep,” he said, “that gave me confidence I would get the job done. I used the confidence as motivation.
“All three fights were tough. Different styles of fighter. Some countered my style a little bit, but through good prep we knew how to work them out.”
O’Malley is set to go to represent Australia again – the first time was in 2023 – with a December trip to fight in Japan.
Pierson Faapito won his second national title despite having never fought any of his opponents before. He even used social media to check out the first!
“I wasn’t too worried because I had prepared well, mentally and physically,” the 14-year-old said. “I was confident my skills and experience were going to carry me through.
“The final was a bit of a mystery opponent, but I used my jab and waited for the big moment.”
Faapito will step up to the 17-years division next year and from 54kgs to 57kgs. “Should be a challenge,” he said.
Meanwhile, Liam Wilson has moved up to three in the WBO Junior Lightweight rankings and is currently in camp with Jojo Diaz who faces Floyd Schofield next month.
Fellow ASB professionals Billy Polkinghorne (super lightweight) and Vegas Larfield (featherweight) are aiming to fight in December.
Super middleweight Hayden Emmerson, who stopped PNG’s Napoleon Sasub in round three recently, faces Jack Gregory on the Gold Coast on December 6.
Caboolture-based Ben Hussain, who stopped Fiji’s Paulo Ratumaikoro in round one this month, is aiming to fight again this year.