Hansen, Rio Torto strike boxing gold
WA is celebrating two national boxing champions after Saturday's finals day on the Gold Coast, with Jayden Hansen and Jasmine Rio Torto winning gold.
Rio Torto, who defeated Queensland's Hayley Finlayson in the women's 54kg final, has only just returned to boxing after taking nearly eight years off to become a mum to two children.
And Hansen put to bed the memories of 12 months ago in Fremantle, when he was on the end of a poor decision, to see off Victoria's Jeremy Udovich.
WA had four other finalists, with big hopes Jordan Samardali (men's 81kg) and Caitlin Parker (women's 75kg) having to settle for silver.
Parker, 19, just missed out in a hard-fought battle with NSW's Kaye Scott, while Commonwealth Games quarter-finalist Samardali was unable to go back-to-back as he lost Victoria's Aaron Spagnolo.
Jayden Hansen, pictured with former amateur boxing star Boyd Scully, won gold in the men's 56kg final. Pic via Facebook/Boxing WA
Harley Anderson was beaten by Daniel Lewis (Boxing Australia) in the men's 75kg final, while Rhovie Hulleza went down to NSW's Astryd Ugarte-Carmelo in the women's 48kg decider.
In other finals, Commonwealth Games gold medallist Shelley Watts was pushed all the way but did enough to win the women's 64kg title.
The 27-year-old from NSW beat Alison Allan in a tough contest on the Gold Coast.
The decision didn't please the Victorian contingent of the crowd supporting Allan.
Watts, however, said she was confident she had done enough.
"Yes there was some in the crowd who thought I'd lost, but they were the Victorians, and they only saw their fighter," Watts said.
"But it was a great fight. I'd never fought her before, and it's great to know there are fighters here in Australia who can push us all the way. It's great for the sport of women's boxing."
It was the first tough fight Watts had contested all week, after she won her opening bout in less than two rounds, and then had a walkover in her semi-final.
Commonwealth Games silver medallist Joseph Goodall won a scrappy fight against Victoria's Kris Terzievski to claim his second national super heavyweight title.
Goodall revealed after his bout he had been battling glandular fever.
"It's been pretty hard for the past few weeks, I'm just trying to get my body back to how it was," he said.
Jason Whateley finally broke through after a string of silver medals, beating Beijing Olympian Daniel Beahan for the heavyweight title.
There were also wins for Kristy Harris in the 51kg class and her Melbourne sparring partner and barrister, Simone Bailey, who was elated to break through for her first national title.
