European Championship gold as a goal

“Ready to write history for Austria”

Ahmed Hagag fights at the European Boxing Championships from Saturday.

(Bild: zVg)

Super heavyweight Ahmed Hagag from Braunau starts his gold medal mission at the European Boxing Championships in Belgrade on Saturday. So far, only one Austrian has ever won gold in Olympic boxing at the European Championships - and that was almost 100 years ago.

Ahmed Hagag caused a stir back in 2022 when he won bronze in Yerevan, the first European Championship medal for Austria in amateur boxing since 1975. Just two years later, the man from Braunau, who has been forced to take a break in recent months due to an eye injury, can now finally write his name in the red-white-red history books.

Zehetmayer won in 1934
The super heavyweight (currently 109 kg) goes into the European Championships in Belgrade as the favorite and has only one goal: "I want to win the gold medal, I'm ready to make history!" Austria has won eleven European Championship medals so far, but only one boxer has ever won gold. In April, exactly 90 years ago, Hans Zehetmayer triumphed in Budapest in the light heavyweight division.

"Take a cold shower and pray"
On Saturday, the current number two in the world will start his gold mission in the round of 16 against Davit Chaloyan from Armenia. What does the preparation look like? "Cold showers and praying are part of my routine before every fight," says the 24-year-old, who will also be coached on site by his father and trainer Hassan.

The Viennese Osaro-Lucky Aimufua already showed his mettle on Thursday, sending the Albanian Senad Drini home in the first round of the light heavyweight (- 80 kg). On Saturday he will face the Russian Sadoma.