AIRWAY HEIGHTS, Wash. (AP) — The day after Queen Underwood, Marlen Esparza and Claressa Shields established themselves as the nation’s toughest amateur boxers, they got manicures and pedicures.
The three winners of the first U.S. Olympic team trials for women’s boxing treated themselves to a spa day after earning trips to the world championships with unbeaten runs through their respective weight divisions.
All three fighters plan to take a short break before resuming training for their trip to China in May. They must finish in the top eight at the world championships to qualify for the first Olympic women’s boxing tournament in London.
U.S. national team coach Joe Zanders is grateful the tournament’s three strongest boxers all advanced from the trials, and he’s optimistic the fighters are good enough to qualify for an Olympic run.
