Olympics Day 5: Americans Jahmal Harvey, Omari Jones triumph, advance to quarterfinals
American boxers Jahmal Harvey and Omari Jones scored big wins on Wednesday, July 31, advancing to the quarterfinals of the 2024 Olympics at Arena Paris Nord.
Harvey, 21, of Oxon Hill, Md. scored a narrow 3-2 split decision over Brazil’s Luiz Oliveira in their men’s 57 kilogram bout, while Omari Jones, 21, of Orlando, Fla. scored a conclusive 5-0 win over Kan Chia Wei of Chinese Taipei in the 71kg division.
Harvey and Oliveira wasted little time getting reacquainted, having fought six times prior, with the most recent being Harvey’s unanimous decision in the semifinals of the 2023 Pan American Games. Both came out going tit for tat, switching stances frequently and looking to sneak a punch or two in. Harvey, whose 2021 World Championships gold was the first for an American male since Demetrius Andrade won one in 2007, flirted with a possible knockdown call after losing his footing early in the opening round after a counter left from Oliveira but it was ruled a slip.
Oliveira held a 3-2 lead after the first, prompting Harvey to throw out any pretense of a boxing match and turn the bout into a street fight. Though he looked off balance at times, his aggression helped him climb back into the bout, leaving the fight on the table heading into the third. The round started off on a bad note for Harvey, as he sustained a cut beneath his right eye from a head clash, but his all-out aggression earned him the round, 4-1, awarding him the narrow victory by scores of 29-28 on three cards, while the other two gave it to Oliveira by the same margin.
“Every fight is a final and I am going to leave it out there every round,” said Harvey, who now holds a 4-2 record against Oliveira. “I knew I was down and knew I had to dominate the last round and win on some 10-8’s.”
“Gold is the goal. First fight, worst fight and I am going to get better as the tournament goes on.”
Harvey’s cut is located in a “good place,” USA Boxing Executive Director Mike McAtee tells The Ring, meaning it shouldn’t keep him out of action for Saturday’s bout against Munarbek Seitbek uulu of Kyrgyzstan, who advanced to the quarterfinals with a split decision over Saidel Horta on Wednesday.
Jones will also see action on Saturday when he faces Rami Kiwan, 24, of Cherven Bryag, Bulgaria. Kiwan has won two bouts so far in the tournament, having won unanimous decisions over Damian Durkcz of Poland on Sunday and Shannan Davey of Australia on Wednesday, respectively.
“I started off right and took control early,” Jones said. “I don’t worry too much about what the other boxer is doing, I just look at what I can do in the ring, and it showed tonight.”
Jones and Harvey are the last two American male boxers remaining in the tournament after super heavyweight Joshua Edwards lost a disputed decision in his round of 16 bout on Monday. An American male boxer hasn’t won an Olympic gold medal since 2004, when Andre Ward accomplished that feat.
Team USA will have two female boxers competing on Thursday, as 50kg boxer Jennifer Lozano will face off against Finland’s Pihla Kaivo-Oja at 10:02 a.m. ET and 66kg boxer Morelle McCane will follow at 10:50 a.m. ET against Uzbekistan’s Navbakhor Khamidova.
Full Results
Men’s 57kg Round – round of 16
Abdumalik Khalokov (UZB) 5-0 Nebil Ibrahim (SWE)
Jose Quiles Brotons (ESP) 4-1 Makhmud Sabyrkhan (KAZ)
Carlo Paalam (PHI) 5-0 Jude Gallagher (IRL)
Charlie Senior (AUS) 4-1 Vasile Usturoi (BEL)
Jahmal Harvey (USA) 3-2 Luiz Gabriel Oliveira (BRA)
Munarbek Seiitbek Uulu (KGZ) 3-2 Saidel Horta (CUB)
Shudai Harada (JPN) 5-0 Yilmar Gonzalez (COL)
Javier Ibanez Diaz (BUL) 5-0 Aider Abduraimov (UKR)
Men’s 71kg – round of 16
Rami Mofid Kiwan (BUL) 5-0 Shannan Davey (AUS)
Omari Jones (USA) 5-0 Kan Chia Wei (TPE)
Asadkhuja Muydinkhujaev (UZB) 5-0 Omar Elawady (EGY)
Nikolai Terteryan (DEN) 4-1 Makan Traore (FRA)
Zeyad Eashash (JOR) 3-2 Okazawa Sewonrets Quincy Mensah (JPN)
Lewis Richardson (GBR) 3-2 Vakhid Abbasov (SRB)
Nishant Dev (IND) 3-2 Jose Gabriel Rodriguez Tenorio (ECU)
Marco Alonso Verde Alvarez (MEX) 3-2 Tiago Muxanga (MOZ)
Women’s 75kg – round of 16
Li Qian (CHN) 5-0 Hergie Bacyadan (PHI)
Lovlina Borgohain (IND) 5-0 Sunniva Hofstad (NOR)
Caitlin Parker (AUS) 5-0 Citlalli Vanessa Ortiz (MEX)
Cindy Winner Djankeu Ngamba (EOR) 3-2 Tammara Amanda Thibeault (CAN)
Davina Michel (FRA) 5-0 Baison Manikon (THA)
Atheyna Bibeichi Bylon (PAN) 4-1 Valentina Khalzova (KAZ)
Women’s 60kg – quarterfinal
Yang Wenlu (CHN) 3-2 Natalia Shadrina (SRB)
Wu Shih Yi (TPE) 4-1 Maria Jose Palacios Espinoza (ECU)
Kellie Harrington (IRL) 5-0 Angie Paola Valdes Pana (COL)
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