Australian featherweight Skye Nicolson will continue her push towards a breakthrough Olympic boxing gold on Wednesday after compatriots Caitlin Parker and Paulo Aokuso both lost in the round of 16.
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Aokuso was pipped in the tightest of light heavyweight contests with Gazimagomed Jalidov Gafurova, the Spaniard convincing three of the five judges enough to progress to the quarter-finals.
Aokuso dominated the second round 5-0 but lost the third 4-1, the win ultimately decided by a 3-2 first round awarded to the Spaniard despite the Australian landing several solid blows.
Earlier Parker was beaten 5-0 by Panama's Atheyna Bylon in the women's middleweight division.
Nicolson is still standing though, and a win in Wednesday night's quarter-final against Great Britain's Karriss Artingstall will guarantee Australia it's first boxing medal since 1988, given both semi-final losers are awarded bronze.
The 25-year-old Queenslander is following in the footsteps of her late older brother Jamie, who boxed for Australia at the 1992 Olympics.
Skye's brothers Jamie and Gavin tragically died in a car accident while en route to boxing training in 1994, a year before she was born.
Australian Associated Press
