Natalia packs a punch with boxing award
Castlebar's Natalia Fasciszewska won a silver medal for Ireland at the European U23 Boxing Championships.
Winning a national title would on its own have been enough to deem Natalia Fasciszewska a very worthy candidate for this award, but it was her impact on the European stage that made the nation sit up and take notice of this brilliant pugilist from Castlebar Boxing Club.
Boxing at 57kg – and in a sign of what was to come – Natalia claimed the U23 Irish title when defeating two-time European medallist Esther Lambe at the National Stadium last September. But it was not just national pride that was on the line, as the bout was also for a place on the Ireland team traveling to the European Under 23 Championships later in the year.
The 20-year-old Polish native travelled to Budapest in November representing her adopted homeland. After winning bouts against Azerbaijan’s Aynur Mikayilova and Gabriella Weerheimand of the Netherlands, she guaranteed herself a silver medal after defeating Georgia’s Khuraman Kausmov in the semi-final.
While her gold medal joust ended in defeat to Paris Olympics silver medallist, Poland’s Julia Szeremeta, she deservedly received a hero’s welcome on her return to Castlebar as her local club celebrated the southpaw’s brilliant achievements.
