Zaheer Changazi’s bid for a gold medal at the Youth Olympic Games in Dakar ended in a 2-3 split decision loss to Australian boxer Marley Dodd, a result that concluded his run in the 55-kilogram class.
The semifinal defeat, confirmed by the Swedish Olympic Committee, saw the athlete known as “Prinsen” finish with a bronze medal, marking Sweden’s only podium finish at this year’s games.
The outcome was decided by the individual scoring of five judges, as the collective point total would have favored the Swedish boxer.
Judges from Egypt and Panama awarded the second and third rounds to Changazi, but the judges from Mexico, Tunisia, and Tajikistan scored the first and second rounds 10-9 for Dodd. While all five judges agreed that Changazi won the third round, the earlier tallies secured the victory for the Australian.
Changazi’s coach, Joel Grandell, expressed frustration regarding the officiating, noting that the Australian boxer frequently held his opponent and fought with his head low. According to Grandell, these repeated infractions should have resulted in point deductions.
“Australiern hade lågt huvud och det var många fasthållningar. Det blev många tillsägelser – och det borde nog resultat i ett eller två poängavdrag,” said Joel Grandell.
Despite the loss, Grandell praised the performance of his fighter, particularly in the final round, where Changazi outclassed his opponent.
“Zaheer visade vilken nivå och kapacitet han har i tredje ronden, då är han helt överlägsen och utklassar motståndaren som tar nackgrepp efter varje slagväxling,” said Joel Grandell.
Following the decision, Marley Dodd is scheduled to face Georgian boxer Emil Ismailov in the final. For Changazi, the bronze medal serves as the conclusion to his tournament in Dakar, according to Aftonbladet. The 16-year-old, who previously won a match in the 55-kilogram category to reach the semifinals, looks toward future competition with a long-term goal of winning gold at the 2032 Olympic Games in Brisbane.
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