Team Ireland finish up their final international training camp before next month’s European qualifiers for Tokyo 2020 in London in Assisi, Italy on Friday.
The squad is training with the host nation, Finland, France, India, Moldova, Switzerland, New Zealand, Romania and Russia in Assisi.
Bernard Dunne, IABA High-Performance Director, confirmed that Cavan BC flyweight Ceire Smith picked up a hand injury in sparring and has returned home because of the injury.
Belfast flyweight Carly McNaul has joined the squad in Assisi.
Dunne said that with the exception of Smith’s unfortunate injury that the training camp was going really well and the team were getting a lot of work done against world-class opposition.
Ireland had test matches today and will finish out the training camp with test matches later this week.
The squad will train in Dublin in the lead up to the London qualifiers which begin on March 13.
Team Ireland leave for London on March 11.
European Qualifiers for Tokyo 2020
Copperbox Arena London March 13/20
Irish squad
Male
52kg: Brendan Irvine (St Paul’s, Antrim) Cpt
57kg: Kurt Walker (Canal, Antrim)
63kg: George Bates (St Mary’s, Dublin)
69kg: Aidan Walsh (Monkstown, Antrim)
75kg: Michael Nevin (Portlaoise, Laois)
81kg: Emmett Brennan (Dublin Docklands)
91kg: Kiril Afanasev (Smithfield, Dublin)
91+kg: Dean Gardiner (Clonmel, Tipperary)
Female
51kg: Ceire Smith (Cavan), Carly McNaul (Holy Family, Belfast)
57kg: Michaela Walsh (Monkstown, Antrim)
60kg: Kellie Harrington (St Mary’s, Dublin)
69kg: Christina Desmond (Fr Horgan’s, Cork)
75kg: Aoife O’Rourke (Castlerea, Roscommon)
High-Performance Director: Bernard Dunne
Coaches: Zaur Antia, John Conlan, Dmitry Dimitruk
Five Routes to Tokyo 2020
Continental qualifiers
Africa: Dakar, Senegal
February 20/29
Asian/Oceania: Amman, Jordan
March 3/11
Europe: Copper Box Arena, London
March 13/24
Americas: Buenos Aires, Argentina
March 26/April 3
Final World Qualifier
Paris: Grand Dôme
May 13/20