Hartlepool boxer Savannah Marshall off to Olympics after beating Qian Li at World Championships

Savannah Marshall's Olympic dream came true today after beating Qian Li in the World Championship quarter-final.
Savannah MarshallSavannah Marshall
Savannah Marshall

The Hartlepool fighter knew that she had to reach the middleweight semi-finals in Kazakhstan if she was to reach the Rio games this summer.

And how the 25-year-old delivered, taking every round against the number four seed from China.

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It will be the second Olympic Games appearance for the Poolie, having represented GB in London four years ago.

Marshall needed a quick start – invariably the boxer who takes the first round goes on to take the victory.

Two of the judges awarded the opening two minutes to the Headland ABC boxer with the third marking it for the Chinese superstar.

But Marshall took complete control, winning rounds, two, three and four to clinch a unanimous points triumph, 40-36 (twice) and 39-37.

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The Commonwealth Games champ will not meet arch-rival Nouckha Fontijn, from the Netherlands, in the semi-finals on Thursday.

Marshall is guaranteed a bronze medal but will now be looking to go all the way now her Rio seat is booked.