Houston to Host the 2008 U.S. Olympic Boxing Team Trials

From USA Boxing Press Release

COLORADO SPRINGS, CO (June 25, 2007) The U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Boxing will travel south for the 2008 edition as Houston, Texas and the George R. Brown Convention Center will play host to the event. Eighty-eight of the nation’s top amateur boxers will vie for 11 coveted Olympic berths at the Olympic Trials, August 20-26, 2007.

Eight boxers will compete in each of the 11 weight divisions at the double elimination tournament, which will determine the U.S. Olympic Team for Boxing. The 88 U.S. Olympic Team Trials competitors earned berths in the event by advancing to quarterfinal action at the 2007 U.S. Championships.

"We are thrilled to be hosting this very prestigious event in Houston, and know that the USA Boxing’s athletes will find our city to be very exciting. Houston is definitely a sports city. We offer state-of-the-art facilities, great accommodations, and our sports fans are amongst the best in the country. This should be a wonderful experience for spectators and athletes alike," stated Janis Schmees, Executive Director of the Harris County - Houston Sports Authority.

Houston boasts outstanding experience in putting on major Olympic-style boxing events having hosted the AIBA Senior World Championships in 1999.

"We are delighted that this year's Olympic Trials will take place in Houston,” said USA Boxing Chief Executive Officer Jim Millman. “One of our current objectives at USA Boxing is to increase exposure of the sport to fans in more major markets nationwide, and Houston certainly meets that goal."

“The USOC is committed to working in partnership with USA Boxing and the Harris County - Houston Sports Authority to provide a world-class Olympic Trials event that will be the first step towards our common goal of competitive excellence in Beijing," said Steve Roush, the USOC's Chief of Sport Performance.

2008 Olympic Team Trials action will kick off with first round action on August 20, and conclude with final round competition on August 25 and a second day of final round action, if necessary, on August 26. The victors of the winners’ bracket and the challengers’ bracket will meet in the final two days of action. The winners’ bracket victors will need to win one of the final round bouts to earn a berth on the U.S. Olympic Team.