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CARACAS, July 7 (Xinhua) -- Boxer Yoel Finol became Venezuela's 78th athlete on Thursday to qualify for the upcoming Olympic Games 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, making him the fifth Venezuelan fighter that will attend the international sporting event.
Finol was able to qualify after defeating the Ukraine's Maskym Fatych in the 52 kilograms flyweight category in the first semi-final of the World Pre-Olympic Boxing Tournament, taking place in La Guaira, in the central-northern Venezuelan state of Vargas.
Finol unanimously won the three rounds 3-0 and on Friday he will face Germany's Hamza Touba in the final. Touba defeated Colombia's Ceiber Avila in Thursday's second semi-final.
"I saw how he fought on Tuesday. I watched videos so as to see the movements he makes and what distance he fights from. I saw it and I said: 'my job will be to box in the ring' and we managed it," Finol told local media when asked about defeating the Ukrainian.
After Finol's qualification, the Caribbean country now has five qualified boxers for the Olympics - Luis Cabrera (60 kilograms), Luis Arcon (64 kilograms), Albert Ramirez (81 kilograms) and captain Gabriel Maestre (69 kilograms).
With the addition of Finol, Venezuela have managed to surpass the number of boxers they took to London 2012 where a total of three boxers qualified.
Out of the five boxers that are going to Rio, only Pan American champion Gabriel Maestre has Olympic experience.
More Venezuelan athletes could still qualify in six sporting disciplines during the last month before the Games get underway.
Currently, Venezuela has 78 athletes qualified to compete in 18 disciplines. This is more than the goal set by the Venezuelan Olympic Committee (COV) which was to take more athletes to Rio than the 69 that went to London. Enditem
