Panama's policewoman going for gold in boxing

Lance corporal Atheyna Bylon from Panama's police force, who won the gold medal at the AIBA Women's World Boxing Championships in South Korea in November 2014, dreams of winning the gold at the Olympic Games 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) awarded the boxer a ticket to the international sporting event after she did not qualify for direct entry into the Games as she lost in the women's Olympic qualifier in Astana, Kazakhstan, in May.

The boxer spoke of her hopes publicly in an article published by local daily La Prensa on Thursday.

The athlete said she is focused on her objective even though she admitted that it will be difficult for her to weigh above 72 kilograms despite the weight category being 75 kilograms.

"It is a condition that has cost me, giving away up to three kilograms in every fight," said the boxer.

Bylon's coach, Italian Nino Fracasso, who also trained the athlete for the World Championship in November 2014, told the Panamanian daily that his pupil not reaching the specified weight could be an advantage, in terms of speed. He added that she is an exceptional boxer.

Panama have 10 athletes, so far, that will attend the Olympics in Rio and six of them are women. This will be Panama's largest delegation since 1968.

Apart from Bylon, sprinter Alonso Edward, who will also be Panama's flagbearer, Carolina Cartens, Jorge Castelbanco, Yvette Lewis, Edgar Crespo, Maria Fernanda Far, David Munoz, Isabella Amado and Eileen Grench all make up part of the Panama delegation, in seven events. Endit