Australia’s Courtney Gray (pictured above, center) has the opportunity to announce herself as a premier amateur talent next month as the 24-year-old stands between a battle of reigning world champions in the atomweight division of the 2020 IMMAF Oceania Open Championships.
The event takes place from 6 – 8 March at the Tallebudegra Leisure Center on Australia’s Gold Coast.
Making her debut on the international IMMAF platform, Gray enters the 105lb (47.6kg) bracket of the Oceania Open alongside Sweden’s reigning 2019 world champion Bezhan Mahmudi (pictured, left) plus 2019 junior world champion and senior European Open gold medalist Magdalena Czaban (pictured, right) of Poland.
After winning the world title at last year’s IMMAF World Championships in Bahrain, 25-year-old Mahmudi shot to second place in the atomweight world rankings. Meanwhile Czaban, age 20, is the number-one ranked junior atomweight contender following triumph at the world championships for under 21s. The Polish standout is also ranked 3rd in the senior division (18+) after claiming the 2019 European Open title in Rome.
Mahmudi vs. Czaban would be a significant bout between two decorated leaders of the division. Their participation lends to what is set to be the biggest Oceania Open to date, welcoming more international champions and top ranked standouts than ever before, particularly in the women’s divisions.
However, the right to face Mahmudi must first be decided in the semi-final collision of Czaban vs. Gray as the tournament draw grants a bye to the highest ranked contender. Standing between two world champions, Gray is the darkhorse of what is a major atomweight mini series and victory against one or even both of her top flight rivals would launch the Aussie to international prominence as one to watch heading into the 2020 World Championships.
For more information and tickets, click HERE.
By IMMAF.org lead writer: Jorden Curran
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