A small boxing gym on the big stage.
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Prestige Boxing's Roger Spence sent five of his Lithgow products to Adelaide for the Australian Club Championships from April 15 to 17.
Pawan Gajula, Kynan Murray, Joel Walsh, Reece Brown and Jack Rowley each came home with a medal after their performances at the Magic Millions Centre in South Australia.
The young fighters were up against competition from Melbourne, NSW, South Australia, Western Australia and Tasmania. Queensland wasn't involved due to COVID-lockdown.
Three days of fighting saw Rowley bring home gold in the +91kg bracket and Brown received silver in the 91kg. Gajula (79kg) got bronze along with Walsh (75kg) and Murray (81kg).
Spence said he took a good spread of competitors and was proud of their overall performances.
"All our competitors were in the over 19 bracket and everyone got medals," he said.
"The boys had their own expectations of where they wanted to place and achieve but of about 300 fighters, for our team to place everybody in the top three that's a pretty good goal for us, a pretty good result from the gym."
Gajula said while he didn't execute the result he wanted it was an overall great first experience.
"I did my best, a gold would have been better than a bronze but I still loved every minute of it, it was cool to fight in front of a crowd," he said.
Walsh said he learnt a lot from championships and it was interesting fighting in front of a crowd.
"It was definitely a lot different to training in the gym in front of nobody, you're in front of a big crowd but I'm definitely keen for more of it," he said.
Brown said the championships held a good atmosphere and encouraged others to get involved in boxing.
"It's great fitness and if you wanna take it to the next level to compete it's good fun," he said.
Spence said he was proud of his fighters and what they achieved.
"It is a big test for them. There is a level of stress and a level of expectations in performance you need to meet.
"For two of the boys it was their first fight so on top of the nerves of that and being at a national tournament on a big stage, I'm very proud of their overall performance," he said.
He said it was refreshing to get out to a competition post COVID-lockdown.
"Last year everything was cancelled, we had guys who were prepared and had everything ripped from underneath them.
"It's been a challenge to stay motivated and it's definitely good to see the boys still here, progressing and having something to focus on," he said.
Spence said next on the calendar for his gym were the ACT titles and the Golden Gloves in Queensland.
"In between that the boys will be fighting every six weeks," he said.
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