Navy boxer aiming for Commonwealth Games spot
Tasmyn Benny, one of New Zealand’s top 10 boxers, plans to fit her international boxing contests around her new career with the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN).
Last Saturday she won an international bout at SkyCity in Auckland, against an Australian opponent in the women’s 48kg class.
That puts her in contention for a place in the New Zealand boxing team to go to the Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast in April next year.
There are likely to be six to nine boxing places available in the New Zealand Games team and Ordinary Medic Benny is hopeful she will gain selection.
She graduated the previous Saturday from her 18-week Basic Common Training (BCT) course for new RNZN recruits at Devonport Naval Base in Auckland.
“The Navy is my new home,” she said. “I’m looking forward to training as a medic in Christchurch soon, and then back to Devonport.”
Ordinary Medic Benny, 19, is from Thames on the Hauraki Plains. She went to Turua Primary School and Hauraki Plains College, and decided to join the RNZN for the travel and challenge.
“The best part of BCT was the outside schools, learning how to sail and how to handle a weapon and training at Tamaki,” she said. She has also enjoyed the new friendships she has made along the way.
She spends about an hour training for boxing each day when she is busy, but now she will have more time until her medical training begins.
“When I was in BCT I tried to keep training at the end of the day, or otherwise I shadow spar in my room, against a pretend opponent,” she said. “My mates laugh at me, but the Navy is very supportive of my boxing.”
When pressed, she said her strengths were moving and turning away from her opponent — and a strong left hand.
“My Dad was training with one of his mates in the garage one day and I wanted to get fit for netball, and I found out boxing was good fun,” she said. “I gave up netball.”
Any women interested in boxing should go for it, she said.
“Push yourself in training and keep going,” she said. “It’s great to get into boxing — it’s lots of fun.”
Her goals for the next year include selection for the Commonwealth Games and the World Games later in the year.
She wants to get as many fights as she can, nationally and internationally.
