Canadian boxers Tammara Thibeault, Wyatt Sanford punch Olympic tickets at Pan Am Games
CBC
Canada's Tammara Thibeault and Wyatt Sanford are headed back to the Olympic boxing ring.
Thibeault beat Mexico's Citlalli Ortiz through a unanimous points decision (5-0) in the 75-kilogram semifinals at the Pan Am Games on Thursday in Santiago, Chile. The victory booked Thibeault's spot for both Paris 2024 and in Friday's championship bout.
Sanford will join Thibeault in Paris, having secured his spot with a unanimous decision (5-0) over Brazil's Yuri Falcão in the men's 63.5 kg semifinals.
Thibeault, a 26-year old from Shawinigan, Que., fell one victory short of Canada's first-ever Olympic women's boxing medal at Tokyo 2020 when she lost in the quarterfinals. At the 2019 Pan Am Games in Lima, she dropped her semifinal bout to settle for bronze, but was later upgraded to silver when her opponent was caught doping.
Now, she'll have a chance to right both wrongs.
"In Lima 2019, I was left with a bitter taste in my mouth, but this time around I am determined and ready for whatever obstacle I have to face in order to be at my best and punch my way to Paris 2024 and bring home a gold medal," Thibeault told Boxing Canada when she was named to the team in Chile.
WATCH | Thibeault wins way into Olympics:
Thibeault, the reigning world and Commonwealth Games gold medallist, will face Panama's Atheyna Bylon for the Pan Am title in a rematch from the world championships.
"I still have a fight tomorrow. Enjoy this for a little bit. Recover, rest and then get back on it tomorrow," Thibeault said.
Semifinal victors were awarded white and gold souvenir tickets.
"An actual ticket, so I'm very excited," Thibeault said. "I'm ready to go home and frame it, so pretty happy about it. It's just the first step. We still have a lot of work to do before we get to Paris."
WATCH l Thibeault discusses clinching an Olympic berth:
Sanford was relentless in his attack throughout the light welterweight bout later on Thursday, overwhelming his Brazilian opponent with quick combinations as he took control.
"That felt so good to have that ticket to Paris," Sanford said. "It's been a lot of years, the majority of my life working for this."
