PHOTOS:
James proudly displays his bronze medal in Hungary
James earlier in the year with very proud dad Nathan

 
Pembroke Amateur Boxing Club can now boast that it has the first-ever Welsh medal winner in the European Schoolboy Championships after 14 year old James Probert gained a bronze medal from the event held near Lake Balatan in Hungary.
 
James went out as part of the Welsh team in the 40kgs class and produced some superb performances before just missing out to the eventual winner, the Russian champion, on a split decision after he had boxed superbly and had some pundits commentating that the result certainly could have gone either way.
 
It was a fact conceded by the Russian trainers, who afterwards told the Welsh coaches Steve Brophy and John Radmore that they were very relieved their boxer had just nicked the verdict by a single point over three exciting rounds where James had used his greater skills to keep a much more powerful opponent at bay.
 
James had served notice of his intent in his opening bout, where he had beaten the Turkish champion with a unanimous points decision where the judges felt he had won every round, and the next day carried on the good work with another unanimous win over a strong Romanian champion.
 
That set up the bout against the Russian and James was cheered on by his parents, Rachel and Nathan, who coaches at Pembroke ABC alongside Andy Edmondson.
“We were extremely proud of James,” said Nathan, and we couldn’t have asked for more. “He has trained hard over all the holidays since Christmas and this was fitting reward for that effort.
 
“The whole club is delighted for him and he will always be able to say he was the first Welsh schoolboy to achieve that honour.”