CALDICOT boxer Rosie Eccles is hoping her Tokyo 2020 dream isn’t over after defeat at the European Olympic boxing qualifiers in London.

The 23-year-old welterweight was beaten in the 69kg preliminary bout by Russian fourth seed Saadat Dalgatova on Sunday.

But Eccles could still reach the Tokyo games via a box-off in Paris.

“There is potentially one more chance but, obviously, there is a lot of competition in Team GB,” she told BBC Sport.

“I’ve got to prove now, after that performance, that I’ve earned a place in that second qualifier.

“I’m hoping my Olympic dream isn’t over and this is just a blip on the way.

“My performance wasn’t there today. I don’t know why. I should have smashed her out of the park and I didn’t.

“It was a tough first fight and sometimes you have that ring rust [for the] first fight but I should have beaten that senior fighter and I didn’t. That’s the way it goes."

South Wales Argus:

Fellow Pontypool ABC boxer Lauren Price (above), the 75kg top seed, takes on France's Davina Michel tomorrow.

Price goes into the Road to Tokyo qualifying event on the back of a magnificent last two years.

The crowning glory was that world championship victory, on appeal, over Dutch ace Nouchka Fontijn out in Siberia.

“I just need to keep making sure all the boxes are ticked and I’m 100 per cent prepared and focused when I get in there,” she said.

“It’s going to be like a European Championships, so it will be tough because everyone wants to qualify for the Olympics.

“It would obviously be amazing to qualify, but it’s not just about qualifying, it’s about going to Tokyo and winning a medal.”

The Welsh fighters are part of a 13-strong GB Boxing squad taking on the qualifiers at the Copper Box Arena in London and run until March 24.

The event is going ahead despite many other sports postponing and cancelling events because of the spread of coronavirus.

A statement issued by the organisers read: “The health and wellbeing of participants and spectators is of the utmost importance to us and all of the teams have been told to adopt regular handwashing.

“If any of their group begins to exhibit cold or flu symptoms they are advised to self-isolate, stay indoors, avoid contact with other people and contact the LOC’s Chief Medical Officer who will be able to advise on their symptoms and any further medical assistance.

“We have also introduced a series of additional measures including routine temperature testing as part of the daily medicals for competing boxers which will provide us with additional data on the boxers and enable us to track and identity any changes.”

Organisers have now decided to hold the remaining fights behind closed doors, meaning no spectators will be permitted to attend the event.