DORSET’S Ivy-Jane Smith is following in Olympic hero Nicola Adams’s footsteps by winning an ABA national title.

The 13-year-old Oakmead boxer stopped Liverpool’s Courtney Swanson (Phoenix Fire Boxing Club) in the National Female ABAE Championship Finals at Cannock High School, Staffordshire, last month.

The event, dubbed ‘Road to Rio 2016’, showcased some of the finest female boxing talent from around the United Kingdom.

There were 26 schools and junior finals on the first day, followed by a further 22 bouts for senior boxers the next day.Ivy-Jane, who is also a member of the LeAF Elite Athlete Academy, is the same age as London gold medallist Adams when she began her boxing career.

Although Adams won her debut bout, she had to wait a further four years to her next contest.

Ivy-Jane, meanwhile, swept to victory in the under 44kg (class one) with a succession of triumphant bouts.

In the semi-final, she had beaten Layla Hargreaves from Southampton.

In the final, Ivy-Jane stopped her Liverpool opponent Swanson in the second round with a solid left-right combination. It had followed a standing count, and a points difference of 44-42 Oakmead BC coach John Hamerston said: “We are very proud of Ivy-Jane. She is a joy to train and her determination matches Oakmead’s strong style of boxing.”

  • Visit bournemouthecho.co.uk to see a video of Ivy-Jane.