By Donna Weston
REDLANDS boxer Marley Dodd has secured his place on the world stage after being selected to represent Australia at the 2026 Youth Olympic Games in Dakar, Senegal.
The 17-year-old will compete at the Games from October 31 to November 13 after a rapid rise through Australian junior boxing, built on 31 wins since first stepping into the ring in 2022.
Dodd has developed under the guidance of Phillip “No Deal” Holiday at No Deal Boxing Gym in Ormiston.
Holiday founded the gym to give emerging fighters the coaching, structure and opportunity needed to pursue elite competition.
For Dodd, the decisive breakthrough came at the Australian Schools Championship in Darwin in October last year.
That performance earned him selection for a Boxing Australia training camp in Tokyo in December, where Australian athletes trained as guests of the Japanese Boxing Federation.
The momentum continued in 2026, with Dodd compet- ing at a national selection event in Canberra in January before travelling to Thailand for the World Boxing Futures Cup in Bangkok in March – a direct qualification pathway towards the Youth Olympic Games.
He added further titles and strong performances at the Queensland State Titles in Mackay and the Australian Club Championships in South Australia.
Most recently, Dodd helped Queensland reclaim the State of Origin title on the Gold Coast on August 1.
His Youth Olympic selection is particularly significant given the limited opportunities available.
The final decision was based on more than results alone, with selectors also considering an athlete’s mindset, determination and conduct both in and out of the ring.
For Dodd, it is the reward for four years of disciplined work and the latest milestone in a journey shaped from day one by the Redlands gym and coach that backed his potential.
