DAY 2 – OLYMLPIC QUALIFIERS

IABA News
Tournament venue

Tournament venue

Ireland will have a quite day at the office this Sunday as no Irish boxer will be between the ropes at the European Olympic qualifiers in Samsun, Turkey.

But, as team manager Joe Hennigan put it, it will be all system go tomorrow with six of the nine-strong squad competing for places in the quarter-finals.

Olympic champion Katie Taylor opens her campaign versus Martina Schmaranzova of the Czech Republic, who beat Germany’s Tasheena Bugar last night, on Monday.

Cork middleweight Christina Desmond is in against Dutch No. 1 seed Nouchka Fontijan and Brendan Irvine faces Germany’s Hamza Touba.

Taylor, Irvine and Michael O’Reilly, who boxes Tuesday, are the No. 1 seeds in their respective weight classes in Samsun.

Dean Walsh and Dean Gardiner got Ireland off to a winning start yesterday against the Czech Republic and Norway.

Click here for Saturday’s results.

Unfortunately, for Irish viewers, the live video stream is “Geo restricted” and is not available in Ireland.

European Olympic qualifiers Samsun, Turkey

(A & E denotes Afternoon and Evening sessions)

April 9th

Preliminaries

64kg Dean Walsh (Ireland) beat Erik Agataljan (Czech Republic) 3-0

91kg+ Dean Gardiner (Ireland) beat Simen Nysater (Norway) 3-0

April 11th

Last 16

51kg Ceire Smith (Ireland) v Virginia Barankas (Hungary) (A)

52kg Brendan Irvine (Ireland) v Hamza Touba (Germany)

64kg Dean Walsh (Ireland) v Lorenzo Sotomayor (Azerbaijan) (A)

60kg Katie Taylor (Ireland) v Martina Schmaranzova (Czech Republic) (E)

75kg Christina Desmond (Ireland) v Nouchka Fontijan (Netherlands) (A)

91kg+ Dean Gardiner (Ireland) v Mahammadrausl Majidor (Azerbaijan) (E)

April 12th

Last 16

60kg David Oliver Joyce (Ireland) v Otar Eranosyan (Georgia) (A)

75kg Michael O’Reilly (Ireland) v Ilari Kijala (Finland) (A)

91kg Darren O’Neill (Ireland) v Gabriel Richards (Sweden) (E)

Irish squad

Female

51kg Ceire Smith (Cavan)

60kg Katie Taylor (Bray)

75kg Christina Desmond (Fr Horgans)

Male

52kg Brendan Irvine (St Pauls)

60kg David Oliver Joyce (AIBA Pro Boxing)

64kg Dean Walsh (St Joesphs/St Ibars)

75kg Michael O’Reilly (Portlaoise)

91kg Darren O’Neill (Paulstown)

91+kg Dean Gardiner (Clonmel)

Team manager: Joe Hennigan

Coaches: Zaur Antia, Eddie Bolger, John Conlan
Physiotherapist: Julianne Ryan
Sports Psychologist: Gerry Hussey
Doctor: Jim Clover
Performance Analyst: Alan Swanton

EXCELLENT START FOR IRELAND AT OLYMPIC QUALIFIERS

IABA News
Dean Walsh

Dean Walsh

Dean there done that!

Dean Walsh and Dean Gardiner got Ireland off to a perfect start at the European Olympic qualifiers in Samsun, Turkey tonight.

The Wexford and Tipperary light-welter and super-heavy recorded unanimous decisions over Erik Agataljan of the Czech Republic and Norway’s Simen Nysater.

The wins set up an Ireland versus Azerbaijan double header against Lorenzo Sotomayor and Mahammadrausl Majidor on Monday.

The Azeri pair are the No. 1 and No. 3 seeds in the 64kg and 91+kg classes.

Ireland have no athletes in action tomorrow, but six, including Olympic champion Katie Taylor, are between the ropes Monday.

Taylor, Brendan Irvine and Michael O’Reilly are the No. 1 seeds in their respective weights in Samsun.

Dean Gardiner

Dean Gardiner

 

Irish team manager Joe Hennigan was thrilled to see Walsh and Gardiner do the double on the opening day of the 39-nation tournament which yields 36 Olympics places, 30 for men.

He said:  “We’re delighted to get two wins on the opening day of the tournament. Both our boxers performed well this evening and we’re happy with that. There will be tougher tasks ahead as the best in Europe are here.

“It will be a very busy day for us on Monday as we’ll have six in action and more in the ring on Tuesday. The boys got us off to a winning start today and we’ll be looking to build on that.”

The top three boxers in each of the ten male weights and the top two in the three females weights qualify for Rio 2016 in Turkey.

The light-fly, bantam, welter and light-heavy classes in Samsun are of academic interest to Ireland as Paddy Barnes, Michael Conlan, Steven Donnelly and Joe Ward have qualified for Rio in these weights.

Please click here for draw sheets. Sessions begins at 12pm and 5pm (Irish times) each day.

 

 

 

European Olympic qualifiers Samsun, Turkey

(A & E denotes Afternoon and Evening sessions)

 

April 9th

 

Preliminaries

64kg Dean Walsh (Ireland) beat Erik Agataljan (Czech Republic) 3-0

91kg+ Dean Gardiner (Ireland) beat Simen Nysater (Norway) 3-0

 

April 11th

Last 16

 

51kg Ceire Smith (Ireland) v Virginia Barankas (Hungary) (A)

52kg Brendan Irvine (Ireland) v Hamza Touba (Germany  (E)

64kg Dean Walsh (Ireland) v Lorenzo Sotomayor (Azerbaijan) (A)

60kg Katie Taylor (Ireland) v  Martina Schmaranzova (Czech Republic) (E)

75kg Christina Desmond (Ireland) v Nouchka Fontijan (Netherlands) (A)

91kg+ Dean Gardiner (Ireland) v Mahammadrausl Majidor (Azerbaijan) (E)

 

April 12th

Last 16

60kg David Oliver Joyce (Ireland) v Otar Eranosyan (Germany) or Bernard Torres (Norway) (A)

75kg Michael O’Reilly (Ireland) v Tomas Pivorun (Lithuania) or Ilari Kijala (Finland) (A)

91kg Darren O’Neill (Ireland) v Gabriel Richards (Sweden) (E)

 

 

 

Irish squad

Female

51kg Ceire Smith (Cavan)

60kg Katie Taylor (Bray)

75kg Christina Desmond (Fr Horgans)

Male

52kg Brendan Irvine (St Pauls)

60kg David Oliver Joyce (AIBA Pro Boxing)

64kg Dean Walsh (St Joesphs/St Ibars)

75kg Michael O’Reilly (Portlaoise)

91kg Darren O’Neill (Paulstown)

91+kg Dean Gardiner (Clonmel)

Team manager: Joe Hennigan

Coaches: Zaur Antia, Eddie Bolger, John Conlan
Physiotherapist: Julianne Ryan
Sports Psychologist: Gerry Hussey
Doctor: Jim Clover
Performance Analyst: Alan Swanton

 

EUROPEAN OLYMPIC QUALIFIERS DRAWS

IABA News
Dean Gardiner

Dean Gardiner

Dean Walsh and Dean Gardiner get Ireland’s campaign underway at the European Olympic qualifiers in Samsun, Turkey today.

The Wexford and Tipperary light-welter and super-heavy are the only Irish boxers in action on the opening day of the 39-nation tournament.

Competition begins at 5pm (Irish time) this afternoon. Walsh and Gardiner are between the ropes in the 2nd and 9th bouts on the program.

Meanwhile, Olympic champion Katie Taylor awaits the winner of tonight’s clash between Germany’s Tasheena Bugar and Martina Schmaranzova of the Czech Republic in the last 16 on Monday.

Taylor, Brendan Irvine and Michael O’Reilly are the No. 1 seeds in their respective weights.

Boxing begins at 12pm and 5pm (Irish times) each day.

None of the Irish squad trade leather tomorrow. If Walsh and Gardiner win today, Ireland will have six athletes competing in the last 16 on Monday.

The top three boxers in each of the ten male weights and the top two in each of the three Olympic females weights qualify for Rio 2016 in Samsun.

The light-fly, bantam, welter and light-heavy classes are of academic interest to Ireland in Samsun as Paddy Barnes, Michael Conlan, Steven Donnelly and Joe Ward have qualified for Rio in these weights.

Please click here for draw sheets.

 

European Olympic Qualifiers Samsun, Turkey

(A & E denotes Afternoon and Evening sessions)

April 9th

Preliminaries (last 32)

64kg Dean Walsh (Ireland) v Erik Agataljan (Czech Republic) (E)

91kg+ Dean Gardiner (Ireland) v Simen Nysater (Norway) (E)

April 11th

Last 16

51kg Ceire Smith (Ireland) v Virginia Barankas (Hungary) (A)

52kg Brendan Irvine (Ireland) v Hamza Touba (Germany or Siarhel Labame (Belarus) (E)

60kg Katie Taylor (Ireland) v Tasheena Bugar (Germany) or Martina Schmaranzova (Czech Republic) (E)

75kg Christina Desmond (Ireland) v Nouchka Fontijan (Netherlands) (A)

April 12th

Last 16

60kg David Oliver Joyce (Ireland) v Otar Eranosyan (Georgia) or Bernard Torres (Norway) (A)

75kg Michael O’Reilly (Ireland) v Tomas Pivorun (Lithuania) or Ilari Kijala (Finland) (A)

91kg Darren O’Neill (Ireland) v Gabriel Richards (Sweden) (E)

Irish squad

Female

51kg Ceire Smith (Cavan)

60kg Katie Taylor (Bray)

75kg Christina Desmond (Fr Horgans)

Male

52kg Brendan Irvine (St Pauls)

60kg David Oliver Joyce (AIBA Pro Boxing)

64kg Dean Walsh (St Joesphs/St Ibars)

75kg Michael O’Reilly (Portlaoise)

91kg Darren O’Neill (Paulstown)

91+kg Dean Gardiner (Clonmel)

Team manager: Joe Hennigan

Coaches: Zaur Antia, Eddie Bolger, John Conlan
Physiotherapist: Julianne Ryan
Sports Psychologist: Gerry Hussey
Doctor: Jim Clover
Performance Analyst: Alan Swanton

 

TEAM IRELAND IN SAMSUN FOR QUALIFIERS

IABA News
  samsun f

The entire Irish squad are in Samsun, Turkey ahead of Saturday’s preliminary round bouts at the European Olympic qualifiers.

Thirty nine nations, represented by 233 men and 59 women, have entered the tournament which yields 36 Olympics places – 30 for men and six for women – for Rio 2016.

The general weigh-in will be held tomorrow morning followed by the draw. The daily schedule has yet to be released.

A team delegation meeting is scheduled for later today.

“The team are in great spirts and looking forward to getting the tournament underway,” said Irish team manager Joe Hennigan.

Samsun brings the curtain down on the continental phase of the qualification process for Rio 2016 following the completion of the Americas, Africa and Asia/Oceania events last month and earlier this month.

Three qualifiers remain after Samsun.

Irish squad

Female

51kg Ceire Smith (Cavan)

60kg Katie Taylor (Bray)

75kg Christina Desmond (Fr Horgans)

Male

52kg Brendan Irvine (St Pauls)

60kg David Oliver Joyce (AIBA Pro Boxing)

64kg Dean Walsh (St Joesphs/St Ibars)

75kg Michael O’Reilly (Portlaoise)

91kg Darren O’Neill (Paulstown)

91+kg Dean Gardiner (Clonmel)

Team manager: Joe Hennigan
Coaches: Zaur Antia, Eddie Bolger, John Conlan
Physiotherapist: Julianne Ryan
Sports Psychologist: Gerry Hussey
Doctor: Jim Clover
Performance Analyst: Alan Swanton

 

TEAM IRELAND EN ROUTE TO TURKEY FOR QUALIFIERS

IABA News
Michael Conlan and David Oliver Joyce spar in Assisi

Michael Conlan and David Oliver Joyce spar in Assisi

 

Team Ireland bid arrivederci to their training camp in charming Assisi, Italy early this morning en route to Rome.

The squad are scheduled to catch a 10am flight from the Eternal City to Samsun, Turkey ahead of the opening bell for the European Olympic qualifiers this weekend.

Olympic champion Katie Taylor and Ceire Smith arrived in Samsun on Wednesday, along with Irish interim head coach Zaur Antia.

Both women could be in action on Day 1 on Saturday.

Thirty nine nations have entered the tournament. Thirty six Olympic places are up for grabs, thirty of which go to men.

Ireland trained with Italy, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Sweden and Finland in Assisi.

World Elite bantamweight champion Michael Conlan and three-time European Union Elite lightweight champion David Oliver Joyce met in a sparring session on the final day of training yesterday (see pictures).

Conlan, Paddy Barnes and Joe Ward, who have already qualified for Rio 2016, also trained in Assisi. The Rio trio return home today.

Steven Donnelly has also qualified for the 2016 Olympics.

Ireland’s nine-strong squad will battle against Europe’s finest to join the quartet on the plane to the 31st Olympiad in Samsun.

Pictures: David Oliver Joyce and Michael Conlan spar in Assisi

dol 2
dol 1,

 

Irish squad European Olympic qualifiers Samsun, Turkey April 7/17

Female

51kg Ceire Smith (Cavan)

60kg Katie Taylor (Bray)

75kg Christina Desmond (Fr Horgans)

Male

52kg Brendan Irvine (St Pauls)

60kg David Oliver Joyce (AIBA Pro Boxing)

64kg Dean Walsh (St Joesphs/St Ibars)

75kg Michael O’Reilly (Portlaoise)

91kg Darren O’Neill (Paulstown)

91+kg Dean Gardiner (Clonmel)

Team manager: Joe Hennigan

Coaches: Zaur Antia, Eddie Bolger, John Conlan