Olympic hopeful Lisa Whiteside caps emotional return
Thursday 26 November 2015 22:12, UK
Lisa Whiteside capped her recovery from a fractured skull with an emotional win in the GB Championships in Sheffield on Thursday.
Whiteside defeated Kim Shannon on points in the 51kg category, having recently returned from seven months out with the career-threatening injury.
The 30-year-old from Preston, who also beat Shannon at the English championships in April, fights in the same weight class as Olympic champion Nicola Adams.
She had hoped to face Adams in April, but the Leeds boxer pulled out of a prospective meeting due to a burglary at her home and Whiteside's hopes of a box-off for the Rio qualification slots are now fading.
"It's very hard to explain my feelings - it would have given me a massive boost if I could have fought Nicola for that spot but it didn't happen earlier this year and it didn't happen today," said Whiteside.
"I honestly don't think it's going to happen, and it's going to come down to experience and who she is and what she brings to GB boxing. I'd love to have that box-off and everyone at GB knows that, but all I can do is concentrate on myself.
"I've come back from a fractured skull when a lot of people had written me off," added Whiteside. "A specialist thought my boxing career was over, but I'm here fighting against the odds.
"I've gone from being a full-time firearms officer to having the luxury of training full-time on a phenomenal GB programme, and I'm going to box in the Rio test event on Sunday. When I found out, it brought tears to my eyes."
Former world champion Savannah Marshall continued her good form by claiming a unanimous decision over new GB team-mate Natasha Gale, and Sandy Ryan was a strong 64kg winner over Charlene Jones of Wales.
In the men's event, there were wins for Team GB boxers Luke McCormack and Jack Bateson, but Liverpool welterweight Sam Maxwell dropped a surprise unanimous verdict to Alfie Pric
