West Hill talent wins top county award

A West Hill Boxing Club talent has won the Sussex Boxer of the Year award.
Elsie Pattenden, of West Hill Boxing Club, receives the Jimmy James Cup for the Sussex Boxer of the Year.Elsie Pattenden, of West Hill Boxing Club, receives the Jimmy James Cup for the Sussex Boxer of the Year.
Elsie Pattenden, of West Hill Boxing Club, receives the Jimmy James Cup for the Sussex Boxer of the Year.

Elsie Pattenden received the Jimmy James Cup at the Sussex Boxing Association’s annual general meeting in Brighton.

West Hill coach Dave Bishop said: “It’s been a long time since we had the Sussex Boxer of the Year. It’s a very prestigious award and it usually goes to male boxers. It’s nice for the club to have one of ours receive it.”

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The long-standing award is presented annually to the boxer - male or female - who in the opinion of Sussex Boxing Association officials has performed best during the season.

Pattenden, who has just turned 16, polled the most votes this year having reached the national final in the England Boxing Junior Championships, represented England in the Three Nations competition and beat a 2016 national schools’ champion during a splendid season.

“She’s done fantastic this season,” added Bishop. “She’s still training now and looking stronger than ever, and we’ve got high hopes for Elsie for next season.”

West Hill are now looking forward to the Haringey Box Cup - one of the biggest amateur boxing tournaments in Europe - at Alexandra Palace in London.

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The three-day event, which will get underway today (Friday), will be a truly international affair as competitors are coming from as far afield as Canada, United States and Scandinavia to take on the strong domestic contingent.

West Hill will be represented by Brandon Davies, Alex Howes and Belinda Skinner. Davies is in the elite championships having won at intermediate level last year, the returning Skinner is in the intermediate category and Howes is in the development category having made the step up from youth level.

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