Newmarket-trained Demie Jade Resztan's Commonwealth Games debut has a silver lining
Demie-Jade Resztan admitted it was just not her day as she was forced to settle for a silver medal from her Commonwealth Games final bout with India’s Nitu Nitu, writes Andy Baber.
The Newmarket-based Astley Boxing Club-trained fighter had looked impressive in reaching the gold medal fight but had no answer to her Indian opponent, who claimed the win with a unanimous points decision at the NEC in Birmingham.
Nitu landed several powerful blows throughout the contest against the Englishwoman in their minimum weight contest, with Resztan leaving herself open as she tried to play catch up. And Resztan acknowledged that the nerves on the biggest day of her career to date possibly got the best of her, promising to come back stronger from her Commonwealth experience.
“I didn’t perform as well as I could have done. I think it wasn’t my day, I let the nerves get to me too much, but we live, and we learn,” said the 25-year-old Cambridge-based fighter.
“There was nothing I didn’t expect, I just didn’t step it up, my legs just didn’t move. Everything is a stepping stone in boxing and who can say they got a silver medal at their first Commonwealth Games.”
Resztan had stormed through her previous bouts with unanimous points wins over Zambia’s Margret Tembo and Lethabo Modukanele of Botswana but found the going tough in Sunday’s final.
Nitu picked her off in the opening round to take it on all but one of the five judges’ scorecards before the Indian fighter stretched her lead with four 10-8 scores in the second round, completing a dominant performance with a whitewash in the final round.
But Resztan said she can learn a lot from her first Commonwealth Games with the Paris Olympics on the horizon, although she will put her trust in her coaches for her next steps.
“It’s up to my coaches (whether she moves up in weight) at the end of the day, they know what’s best for me so whatever they say I’ll do,” she said.
“Home Games, home experience, it was great having the home crowd as well as my family and friends. You really felt that you were a part of England.
“I think I have learnt a lot about myself (as a boxer). With having the crowd, it’s very different. We’re used to just having our team-mates so having all of that behind you, having the home country believe in you that puts you on top. It’s not a setback, it’s a learning curve.”
She added: “It wasn’t my best performance, today wasn’t my day but on another day I could have beaten her.
“I think it was just mainly nerves. My legs just wouldn’t move. We learn from it.”
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