Lacombe’s Brody Andrie, a Grade 12 student at St. Joseph High School, is officially a national champion boxer.
Last week the 18-year-old won the national championship in the 57-kilogram youth division at the 2024 Canada Cup & Junior Youth Canadian Championships in Calgary.
From March 20 24, he competed as a member of Team Alberta while representing his home club in Lacombe, the Shadow Box Boxing Club.
By winning the gold medal Andrie became the first central Alberta boxer to win a national championship in boxing in decades.
Andrie said on Thursday the victory meant a lot to him.
“It was my goal to win a national championship and what I was looking forward to the whole year,” he said.
“We worked really hard as a team at my club in Lacombe and that was the most important thing to me was to win nationals. Not just because I wanted to accomplish that for myself but I’m also the first national champion to come from my club.”
Andrie said it meant even more knowing he was the first from central Alberta to win it in quite some time.
The last person to do it was Cam O’Connell, a professional boxer in Red Deer that Andrie looked up to as a youngster just trying out the sport for the first time.
“He was a big influence in my life when it came to boxing when I first started. He really motivated me and it’s cool that I was able to succeed him in being a national champion,” he said.
To Andrie’s delight, O’Connell was there to support him following his national championship victory.
“When I did win he was there. I took some photos with him and it was pretty cool,” he said. “I think it was pretty cool for him to see that person he used to train with when I was little become a champion. He was pretty happy.”
Andrie was selected to join Team Alberta after winning provincials in his weight class which led him to the national stage.
At nationals, he had to box three times throughout the tournament winning all three bouts including the championship fight that went the distance. One opponent was from Ontario and the other two were from Quebec. He said in boxing those are the guys to beat.
“Brody’s success is a testament to his hard work, perseverance, and the support of his coaches and community. We are incredibly proud of him and look forward to seeing what the future holds for this outstanding young athlete,” said SJHS Principal, Gary Gylander in a media release.
The young man had his eye on nationals for quite a few years but in his first year of eligibility, it was halted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Ever since then, he fought to get back to that point and get the opportunity. It also helped that this year’s competition was held in his home province.
He started boxing at nine years old and it didn’t take long before he fell in love with the sport. Originally his father introduced him to boxing after competing in the sport himself.
“My dad understood that boxing is a really good sport to develop younger individuals. It teaches you respect, how to defend yourself, and how to deal with stress and the mental aspects that come with boxing.”
Once he graduates this summer he hopes to continue competing and will see where it takes him.
“When it came to nationals I wasn’t sure if I was going to win. I was hoping, had confidence, and trained really hard. Ever since winning nationals I have a different perspective like this could really go somewhere if I put my mind to it.”