BOXING
More than 80 people gathered at the Trafalgar Public Hall on Saturday to hear from Olympic boxer Jason Whateley at a special sparring and fundraising event for the Trafalgar Boxing Gym.
Whateley, who is originally from Sale, won silver at this year’s Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast and addressed the strong crowd of aspiring boxers as a prelude to a friendly day of sparring.
Organiser Sarah Rosse said Whateley’s journey from regional Victoria to the world stage was one that resonated with everyone at the event.
“He started out like many others in Gippsland and then went onto the Olympics and is now looking at turning pro, so it was really motivational, inspirational and about building resilience and not giving up,” Rosse said.
“I think a lot of the parents were chatting with him and the event had a really nice community feel to it and whilst there was that professional element to it, it was great to have Jason there for that local presence.”
More than 30 boxers fronted for the showcase sparring events from clubs across Gippsland including Foster, Traralgon, Moe, Warragul, Bairnsdale, Leongatha and Trafalgar.
“We were so pleased with how the day turned out,” Rosse said.
“We had so many local businesses and so many people willing to support us with raffle prizes and donations and it’s not something we’ve seen before.”
The sparring events were “well-attended” by rising and first-time boxers and Rosse said it was the perfect platform for the youngsters to practice their craft.
“It gives them a bit of a goal to work towards and in the months leading up to it they’ve got something they can build on with their commitment to training,” she said.
“We had a couple there and it was their very first time, so it was also about building their confidence and skills and it was really welcoming, regardless of how much exposure they’ve had.”
