‘To come away with two golds, three silvers, and a Best Team award is an incredible achievement’
Boxers from Barton Hill ABC in Bristol celebrate taking two golds and three silvers from the prestigious Algarve Boxing Club tournament in Portugal.
The club also claimed the silver in the Best Team competition, coming second out of 45 teams from 24 different countries(Image: Barton Hill Boxing Club)
Leaders at a boxing club in inner city Bristol left homeless after they were evicted from their gym have hailed the incredible success of their fighters after returning from a trip to a prestigious boxing tournament in Portugal with two golds and three silvers.
Barton Hill Amateur Boxing Club sent five boxers to the top-ranking Algarve Boxing Cup in Portugal to face some of the finest young boxers from across Europe, including teams from Norway, Italy, France, Belgium and the UK.
And despite a turbulent past 12 months for the boxing club and its fighters, the club claimed a silver for the ‘best team’, finishing second out of 48 teams from 24 countries.
Up and coming fighter Yasin Saddiq took gold in the U60kg and Giedale Stewart took gold in the 92kg+ weight category.
There were also silvers for Tommy-Lee Temblett in the U65kg, Teo MIles in the u75kg category and Dominic Owoo in the u85kg division.
The club was forced to leave its home of more than 20 years after the community organisation Wellspring Settlement controversially decided to sell the home just over a year ago.
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The club had been a mainstay of the Barton Hill community for decades, but faced an uncertain future and its trainers and leaders said it nearly went under in the first months of having nowhere to go.
But Cabot Learning Federation stepped in, and offered a temporary home at City Academy School, where the club is getting back on its feet and now beginning to thrive once again.
And the trip to Portugal and the results in beating boxing clubs from across Europe finishing second out of 45 teams is an incredible result, said coaches Carton Miles, Lee Allen, and Hassan Saddiq.
“For a small community club, the achievement highlights the exceptional quality, dedication, and resilience of its boxers, who went toe-to-toe with some of Europe’s top talent on the international stage,” said a club spokesperson.
“We couldn’t be prouder of this group. Every boxer showed heart, discipline, and respect – inside and outside the ring.
Yasin Saddiq at Barton Hill Boxing Club(Image: Barton Hill Boxing Club)
“To come away with two golds, three silvers, and a Best Team award against world-class opposition is an incredible achievement and shows what hard work and belief can produce. This is a huge moment for Barton Hill ABC,” they added.
“At first glance, two golds might not seem huge, but we weren’t boxing at club level—we were up against the best boxers representing their countries. So, we are absolutely over the moon with these results,” they said.
The result is another endorsement of City Academy’s decision to help save the club.
“Barton Hill ABC has been an important part of this community for generations, and we weren’t prepared to see that legacy put at risk,” City Academy principal Ben Tucker said.
“By opening our doors, we’re helping ensure that young people continue to have a safe, positive and inspiring space to train. Supporting local organisations like this is at the heart of what City Academy stands for,” he added.
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