Kiaran Macdonald has the opportunity to end 2018 just as he started it – on a high note.
The Sunderland star can strike gold at the GB Boxing Championships in Sheffield on Thursday, December 6.
Macdonald tackles Matthew McHale in a tasty England v Scotland match at Under 52 kilos.
The 21-year-old began 2018 in style by clinching his first World Series of Boxing victory with a brilliant display at Gateshead Leisure Centre, where the British Lionhearts completed a clean sweep 5-0 victory over Croatia Knights.
That win over world-rated flyweight David Alaverdian was something special, particularly given a long injury absence.
The Sunderland ABC star clinched a bronze medal for his country in the annual Ahmet Comert tournament, a prestigious international event in Turkey in September
After a sunshine break in Mexico, Kiaran is back in the gym and has just enjoyed a camp with the Chinese team, who have been training at the English Institute of Sport.
There is further North-East presence at Sheffield in the shape of in-form Hannah Robinson, who has the chance to put the seal on an incredible year of her own by adding another title to her collection.
The Birtley ABC star, who has just been elevated to the Great Britain boxing squad, is chasing a hat-trick of major honours at the English Institute of Sport where she will be boxing against a very familiar rival in the lightweight final – Shanice James.
Hannah has beaten the Army girl twice in finals in 2018.
The 24-year-old, from Bishop Auckland, lifted England’s Senior Elite title in London back in April with a superb display at the York Hall, before repeating the triumph just six weeks later at the Three Nations finals in Rotherham.
It is one of UK amateur boxing’s big domestic nights of the year.
The GB Boxing Championships will feature five female weights and eight male divisions.
Here is the full GB Championships line-up:
Women:
51kg Stephanie Kernachan (SCO) v Helen Jones (WALES)
57kg Raven Chapman (GB) v Victoria Glover (SCOT)
60kg Hannah Robinson (ENG) v Shanice James (ENG)
69kg Omarah Taylor (GB) v Laura Stevens (ENG)
75kg Kerry Davies (GB) v Elena Narozanski (ENG)
Men:
49kg Connor Kelsall (ENG) v Benn Norman (ENG)
52kg Kiaran MacDonald (GB) v Matthew McHale (SCOT)
64kg Sean Spence (SCOT) v Elliott Whale (ENG)
69kg Harris Akbar (GB) v Tyler Jolly (SCOT)
75kg Lewis Richardson (GB) v Ramtin Musah (ENG)
81kg George Crotty (GB) v Patrick Allen-Cripps (ENG)
91kg Lewis Williams (GB) v Scott Forrest (SCOT)
91+kg Courtney Bennet (ENG) v Mitchell Barton (SCOT)
Words: Roy Kelly
