Boxer Kenny Lally has his eyes on the prize.
He wants to fight at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and this week in Montreal he took another step towards accomplishing that goal.
The 26-year-old Inner City Boxing Club fighter from Prince George won Brandt Canadian Olympic trials tournament with a 3-0 decision Wednesday over Mathieu-Major Giovan of Quebec in the 56-kilogram final.
That qualifies Lally, a seven-time national champion, for the Americas Olympic qualifying tournament in Argentina in March.
Lally advanced to the final after drawing a first-round bye. His bout in Wednesday was his first since July, when he won a bronze medal at the Pan American Games in Toronto.
Lally failed to qualify for the 2012 Olympics in London when he was eliminated in the quarterfinal round at the Continental Elite championships in Rio de Janiero. He told The Canadian Press after his fight Wednesday he won't miss out on his opportunity this time around.
"I understand the process that it takes," said Lally, a veteran of 121 amateur fights. "I've been at this stage before. I know how to get the job done. By no means will it be an easy road, but I believe in my ability and my coaching staff.
"This time, I'm going to make the Olympics."
Former Spruce Capital Boxing Club member Alan Bayne was in Montreal this past week serving as a referee and judge at the Olympic trials, while earning his credentials to become a Level 5 (international calibre) referee. Bayne, an 11-time B.C. Golden Gloves champion and former national light middleweight champion, represented Canada at the 1994 Commonwealth Games in Victoria.
