SEVENTEEN-year-old Mornington Peninsula resident and boxer Belle Spicer will be representing Australia at the Youth Olympic Games in November.
The 2026 Youth Olympic Games will take place between 31 October and 13 November in Dakar, Senegal.
Spicer qualified for the games by winning two fights at a qualifying event in Canberra earlier this year, before competing at the World Futures Cup in Thailand.
Spicer finished in the top ten at the tournament and after some waiting, received a call from the International Olympic Committee confirming her spot on the Australian Youth Olympic team.
Spicer is the only Victorian boxer to qualify for the games and one of three Australian boxers to qualify.
Spicer said the achievement of qualifying for the games feels unreal.
“It just felt crazy when we started having all the meetings, our training programs and camps, it just felt so unreal,” said Spicer.
“I’m excited for the new opportunity, and it’s another step forward towards my ultimate goal of competing at the Brisbane Olympics in 2032.”
The 2026 games are the first Youth Olympics to take place in an African country.
“It’s going to be an amazing experience,” said Spicer.
“It’s something I’ve been dreaming about since I was thirteen years old and hopefully I can bring home the gold medal for Australia.”
Spicer had hoped to qualify for the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028, but wasn’t able to due to age restrictions.
She said she hopes to represent Australia on home soil in 2032.
“I just missed out on the LA qualifications so ever since I found out about 2032 and that it’s on home soil, I’ve just had that up on my wall ever since,” said Spicer.
Aside from qualifying for the Youth Olympics, Spicer has already built up an impressive list of achievements, including being crowned the 2026 Australian Under 19s champion, and a four-time state champion.
November’s Youth Olympics won’t be the first time Spicer boxes overseas, having competed internationally multiple times and winning gold at the Junior National Open in Germany.
Spicer has also trained and competed in Fiji, Japan, Thailand and New Zealand.
Spicer is still a high school student and has to balance study, a social life, and family commitments while training twice a day, six days a week.
“It’s hard to manage, especially between school and boxing, but my school has been really amazing,” said Spicer.
“Having help and support from family and friends is a big help being able to manage everything.”
Spicer’s school allowed her to condense her study schedule so she could fit in her training routine.
Spicer’s road to become an Olympic level boxer didn’t just happen overnight.
She began boxing after her parents wanted her to take self-defence classes as a child.
“From there I joined a junior boxing class at a gym in Dromana and I really enjoyed it,” said Spicer.
“So then the coach transferred me to an actual boxing gym in Seaford and I was just doing the kids classes. I then had my first fight in September 2022 and I have loved it ever since.”
You can support Spicer and read more about her journey to the Youth Olympics at: asf.org.au/campaigns/belle-spicer
First published in the Mornington News – 20 October 2026
