Canadian boxer Sara Kali advances to Round of 8 at Olympic boxing qualifier

Canadian Sara Kali won a 5-0 decision over Cuban Yakelin Estornel to advance at a last-ditch Olympic boxing qualifier Wednesday in Bangkok.

The 32-year-old from Montreal will face Cape Verde's Ivanusa (Nancy) Moreira next in round of eight action in the women's 66-kilogram class.

"For my first ice-breaker fight, I'm satisfied with my performance," Kali said. "I came here to win cleanly, no matter how I handled it, and that's what I managed to prove to the judges in this first fight."

While Cuba has a rich history of amateur boxing success, it did not lift restrictions around women's boxing until 2022, 10 years after the sport was added to the Olympic program. Estornel, a former elite wrestler, was the lone Cuban woman competing in Bangkok.

Canadians Terris Smith and Doni Foreman were both defeated Wednesday.

Smith lost a 5-0 decision to decorated British fighter Amy (Baby Canelo) Boardhurst in a Round of 16 bout in the women's 60 kg class while Foreman was at the wrong end of a 5-0 score against Spain's Ayoub El Aissaoui in a Round of 16 bout in the men's 92-plus kg division.

"She landed big shots and pushed [Broadhurst] back at times," said Canada coach Samir (Sammy) El Mais. "In the end, it was all experience that won the fight … We are super-proud of Terris. She has a lot of heart, grit, and she went toe-to-toe until the end."

Broadhurst, named Irish Times/Sport Ireland sports woman of the tear in 2022 after winning the world and European championship and Commonwealth Games gold, advances to the quarterfinals of the women's 60 kg bracket.

Passed over by the Irish Athletic Boxing Association, Broadhurst elected to switch allegiance and try to qualify for the Olympics in British colours. She holds two passports thanks