This teen took to boxing to get in shape. She's now on Team Canada

Windsor teen boxer Jarelyn Castillo stays light on her feet as she shadowboxes in the ring at Border City Boxing Club on Drouillard Road.

Her fists stab the air,punctuated by yelpingexhalations.

"Jarelyn the Jolly Rancher," remarks her coach, Andre Gorges. He wants to change her nickname from "The Gem" to a reference to candy. "What's your favourite colour?"

"Probably green or red," Castillo replies, without missing a beat or a breath.

Just three years ago, such demonstrations of speed and stamina weren't easy for Castillo. The 17-year-old athletesays her weight ballooned during COVID lockdowns.

"My physical health took a very large decline. I was weighing, like, 250 some odd pounds," she recalls.

When Castillo emerged from the era of social distancing, she turned to boxing a family tradition to shed the weight.

As a young child, she would accompany her older brother to his workouts at Border City Boxing Club. Her uncle was heavily involved in the sport in the Dominican Republic, where her parents emigrated from.

"Basically, boxing's been in my family since, like, forever," Castillo says. "I just love it. I can't put it into words... I feel like boxing has helped me with a lot of things, not only physically."

Along with helping Castillo drop almost 100 pounds on the scale, the activityhas ignited her competitive fire. Over the past two years, she has fought in multiple amateur tournaments in the 75-kilogram female youth division.

Castillo earned her biggest win yet in March First place in her division at the Youth National Championshipsat the 2024 Canada Cup in Calgary.

The victory landedCastillo a spot on Team Canada. What made it especiallysignificant for her was that she fought against an opponent who had defeated her in a previous tournament.

"When I went up there, I decided that I really needed to put my game on her," Castillo says. "I really needed to put my heart in it."

Gorges said he appreciates Castillo's style as a technical boxer, butthe coaches at Border City have been encouraging her to advancemore in the ring and she executed that game plan in Calgary.

"Most judges want that aggressiveness," Gorges says. "She works hard, especially lately. She's got power, too, in that straight right."

Club president Josh Canty believes Castillo has "all the potential in the world."

"She came into the sport during COVID, and it really stunted her opportunities. But now we're back on track, and she's national champ. Now we can start getting opportunities, including going to training camps and being able to represent Canada at the world championships."

Canty, who works in education, says he's had post-lockdown concerns about the physical and mental health of "a lot of kids," including Castillo.

"COVID took a knock on all of us. But she came back strong... She just needs to keep on training, keep on listening, keep on learning. She's got a great team, and we see great things for her. She's the Gem. A diamond in the rough, our Jarelyn."