NATIONAL BOXER Michael Alexander was eliminated from Olympic contention after losing at the AIBA Olympic Qualification Event in Baku, Azerbaijan, yesterday.
Needing two more wins to book a place at the 2016 Rio Olympics in August, lightweight (60 kilogrammes) boxer Alexander lost to Chinese boxer Jun Shan on points 2-0 in a round-of-16 bout.
Two of the three judges ruled in the favour of Shan 29-27, while the third judge had the match ending in a tie 28-28. Alexander needed to finish in the top five to qualify for the Olympics.
The only Trinidad and Tobago boxer still in contention for a Olympic berth is welterweight boxer Aaron Prince. Light heavyweight Andrew Fermin, light welterweight Jean Paul Cooper and bantanweight Anthony Joseph were all eliminated earlier in the tournament. Prince is trying to join super heavyweight TT boxer Nigel Paul at the Olympics.
A victory in the quarterfinal stage tomorrow will see Prince qualify for the Olympics. Paul sealed a spot in the Olympics after advancing to the final of the Americas Zone Qualifying tournament in Argentina in March.