WHEN AUSTEJA AUCIUTE won her ninth Irish title in June 2014, Finn Valley ABC coach Billy Quigley told of his hopes for the light-welterweight.
Auciute had just beaten Ciara Sheedy, a former European silver medallist, to claim the Irish Under-18 title at The National Stadium.
In January of the same year, Auciute had lost out to Amy Broadhurst in the National Open Youths and vowed to make that defeat count for something.
All around her bedroom in Ballybofey’s Glenview Park, Auciute laid pieces of paper, each with the same message scrawled: ‘All-Ireland champion 2014’.
She did just that with her win over Sheedy and Quigley knew what he saw.
“The sky’s the limit,” he said of Auciute’s potential.
“She can go places. She’s one of the most dedicated boxers you’ll ever see. She was at my door on Friday evening at quarter to six, fifteen minutes early, and it’s the same every night for training. She trains hard and puts the effort in. She deserves the rewards.”
[adrotate group=”38″]Today, Auciute weighs in for the 2016 AIBA Women’s World Championships in Kazakhstan.
After having enough in a battle for Irish citizenship, Auciute is now boxing with her native Lithuania – and is aiming to reach for the stars in Astana.
“I’m definitely going to Kazakhstan to win gold,” says Auciute, who won her first senior title earlier this year in claiming a Lithuanian National Senior Championship.
“It’s been a while since I boxed competitively, but everything has been going well. I definitely can’t wait to get into action here.
[adrotate group=”58″]“I want to make up for lost time and I want to fight for my dreams. I’m feeling 100 per cent. This is my time to prove myself – to myself and to everyone.
In May 2011, she won a bronze medal in Antalya, Turkey at the Women’s World Youth and Junior Championship.
She was beaten in a semi-final by Agnes Alexiusson of Sweden 16-3 after having beaten Indian Marthamma Sattivada 14-8 in her opening bout.
“That experience will definitely stand to me,” Auciute says.
“It’s been a long time from I got a chance to be at this level. I want to make the most of it.”
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