John Ume

John Ume (born 19 August 1996) is a Papua New Guinean amateur boxer. He represented Papua New Guinea at the 2020 Summer Olympics.[2]

John Ume
Statistics
Weight(s)Light welterweight
Height1.66 m (5 ft 5 in)
NationalityPapua New Guinean
Born (1996-08-19) 19 August 1996[1]
StanceOrthodox[1]
Medal record
Men's amateur boxing
Representing  Papua New Guinea
Pacific Games
Gold medal – first place2019 ApiaLight-welterweight
Pacific Mini Games
Silver medal – second place2017 Port VilaLight-welterweight
Oceanian Championships
Bronze medal – third place2017 Gold CoastLight-welterweight

He won a gold medal at the 2019 Pacific Games. He also competed at the 2018 Commonwealth Games.

Career

Ume hails from Kairuku, Papua New Guinea, but grew up in Hohola, a suburb of the capital city of Port Moresby.[3] After seeing video of Mike Tyson,[1] he took up boxing as a form of self-defense in response to being bullied, initially joining the Soiki Boxing Club in 2012.[3] The following year, Ume defeated national team captain Tom Boga by split decision at the National Capital District (NCD) trials, but Boga was still selected to represent the district at the national championships due to his experience.[3] After moving to the Wantoks Boxing Club,[3] the nineteen-year-old beat Boga once again at the 2015 NCD trials.[4][5]

Ume was first called up to the national team in 2016 for a dual match against Fiji.[3][6] Although the PNG squad lost 4–2 overall, he won his matchup against Jone Koroilagilagi convincingly for his first international victory.[7] Ume won a bronze medal at the 2017 Oceanian Championships in Australia,[8] then a silver medal at the 2017 Pacific Mini Games in Vanuatu, where he lost to Roy Sere of the host nation in the finals.[9] He also suffered a quick exit at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, losing in his first match.[1]

Ume was one of two Papua new Guinean boxers to win a gold medal at the 2019 Pacific Games in Samoa, defeating Fijian opponent Jone Davule in the final.[10] At the 2020 Asia & Oceania Olympic Qualification Tournament, he won his first bout against Nassim Saddiq of Saudi Arabia where he forced a referee stoppage in the final round.[11] However, Ume faced the tournament's third seed, Baatarsükhiin Chinzorig, in his next fight and lost by unanimous decision.[12] In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the qualification process was restructured and the final World Olympic Qualification Tournament was cancelled.[13] Ume was subsequently awarded a spot at the delayed 2020 Summer Olympics through a tripartite invitation from the International Olympic Committee.[14][15]

References
  1. Commonwealth Games athlete profile
  2. "Boxing - UME John". Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Archived from the original on 2021-09-04. Retrieved 2021-09-04.
  3. Teme, Kevin (5 December 2017). "Ume's dream to stand in Olympic ring". Papua New Guinea Post-Courier. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
  4. "Talent emerges". The National. 16 November 2015. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
  5. "NCDC Boxing Trials". EM TV. 16 November 2015. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
  6. Taule, Troy (4 October 2016). "Boxing provides great potential for firms to grow". Loop PNG. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
  7. Cabenatabua, Leone (30 October 2016). "Good Start For Our Boxers". Fiji Sun. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
  8. "Keama wins gold". The National. 30 June 2017. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
  9. Singh, Zanzeer (22 October 2018). "Sere shows class". Fiji Times. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
  10. "DAY 11: Team PNG Results: Samoa 2019". PNG Buzz. 19 July 2019. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
  11. "Sport: PNG boxer makes winning start at Olympic qualifiers". Radio New Zealand. 4 March 2020. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
  12. "4 more Pacific boxers bow out in Olympic qualifier". Loop Tonga. 6 March 2020. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
  13. "Tokyo 2020 boxing Olympic qualifying path to be restructured". Athlete365. 15 February 2021. Archived from the original on 16 June 2021. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
  14. "Five Athletes join Team PNG for the Tokyo Olympics". Papua New Guinea Post-Courier. 18 June 2021. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
  15. Galatau, Sabrina (23 June 2021). "Ume to debut in Tokyo Olympics". Papua New Guinea Post-Courier. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
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