Islington BC’s Valerian Spicer will turn her focus to future opportunities to wear the Dominican vest following her disappointment at the Commonwealth Games.

The 34-year-old had targeted a medal at Glasgow 2014 – the first time she had represented the country of her mother’s birth.

However, those dreams of gold failed to materialise after Spicer lost a split decision to eventual bronze medallist Alanna Audley-Murphy of Northern Ireland in the lightweight quarter-finals.

While the heartache of defeat remains and some time off is planned, the Islington boxer, nicknamed ‘The Dame’, already has other targets under consideration.

She told the Gazette: “I’m totally disappointed at the moment, but that is how it goes.

“I’m thinking about the season ahead now, but I’m going to take a couple of weeks off training to think about the next steps.

“There are a few tournaments I can enter over the next year for Dominica – the World Championships in November and the Pan-American Games in July 2015, so we’ll think about those after I’ve had a break.”

Spicer began positively against Audley-Murphy, with her superior boxing skills securing the first round on the cards of all three judges.

However, her rhythm was disrupted in the second by the spoiling tactics of the Northern Ireland fighter, who got in close to cut down Spicer’s chances to score with the jab.

The former ABA champion appeared to have regained the initiative in the third round but, whether or not it was the effect of having fought the previous day when her opponent had a bye, she seemed to tire in the last and lost it on all cards.

That proved crucial with two of the three judges at ringside scoring the match even, while the other went for Audley-Murphy, leaving Spicer devastated.

“I’m so disappointed,” she added. “It was a messy fight and it seemed she just wanted to keep tying me up.”