by David C. Barnett
Among the athletes hoping to compete in the Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, this year, is a teenaged boxer from Northeast Ohio.
Golden Gloves champion Charles Conwell of Cleveland Heights is heading to the Olympic Training Facility in Colorado Springs, Colorado, next week, to prepare for a final set of matches that will determine Team USA.
18-year-old Charles Conwell is a ball of energy as he lands punches on his sparring partner, during a workout at a local gym. Despite the fact that he bested four competitors in the U.S. Olympic team trials in Reno, Nevada, last month, Conwell isn't slacking off..
"I train Monday through Friday," he says. "It's about two-and-a-half-hours a day. I rest on the weekends."
The Cleveland Heights High School senior comes from a family of nine siblings, four of them fighters --- both male and female. His mother Darlene says, with that much competition, Charles is used to fighting his way to the top. His father, Chuck, noticed the budding talent and helped Charles refine his skills.
"He's doing what I should have done," the elder Conwell smiles. "That's why it's so heartwarming to see it develop."
Wednesday night, the Cleveland Heights branch of the Boys and Girls Club organization put together a little pep rally to properly send him off to Colorado Springs. Charles has been a member of the Heights Youth Club for ten years, and he smiled shyly at all the commotion, but said his concentration was elsewhere.
"Just trying to stay humble, stay focused, and make my family proud."
Charles's focus transfers to the world stage, now. To lock in a position on Team USA, he needs to win one of three international matches, in the coming months. First stop: Argentina, on the road he hopes will lead him to Rio.
