Michael O’Reilly (blue) in action
Portlaoise BC middleweight Michael O’Reilly meets Azerbaijan’s Kamran Shakhsuvarly for a place at the Rio 2016 at the World Olympic qualifiers in Baku, Azerbaijan today.
The top five middleweights in the Azeri capital book tickets for the 31st Olympiad.
O’Reilly, the European Games champion, and Shakhsuvarly, the 2016 Great Silk Way champion, weighed-in this morning ahead of today’s three-rounder.
The 75kg clash is the 13th fight on the program which begins at 10am this morning (Irish time). Click here for program.
Dean Gardiner is in action in the semi-finals of the tournament tomorrow. The Clonmel BC super-heavyweight must win gold in Baku as there is just one Rio place in the 91kg+ class.
Irish Draw Baku Olympic qualifiers
June 18th
(Last 32)
91kg Darren O’Neill (Ireland) beat Mustafa El Molla (Sweden) 3-0
June 19th
(Last 32)
64kg Dean Walsh (Ireland) lost to Smetov Ismetov (Bulgaria) 0-3
(Last 16)
91kg+ Dean Gardiner beat Satish Kumar (India) 2-1
June 20th
75kg Michael O’Reilly (Ireland) beat Vitalia Bandarenka (Belarus) 3-0 (last 32)
91kg Darren O’Neill (Ireland) lost to Wesley Apochi (Nigeria) 0-3 (last 16)
June 21st
Last 16
75kg Michael O’Reilly (Ireland) beat Shinebayor Narmandakh (Mongolia) 3-0
Q/Finals
91+kg Dean Gardiner (Ireland) beat Viktor Vychryst (Ukraine) 3-0
July 23rd
Q/Finals
75kg Michael O’Reilly (Ireland) v Kamran Shakhsuvarly (Azerbaijan)
July 24
S/Finals
91kg+ Dean Gardiner (Ireland) v Alexei Zavatin (Moldova)
Irish Squad
64kg (Light-welter) Dean Walsh (St Josephs/St Ibars)
75kg (Middleweight) Michael O’Reilly (Portlaoise)
91kg (Heavyweight) Darren O’Neill (Paulstown)
91kg + (Super-heavy) Dean Gardiner (Clonmel)
Team manager Joe Hennigan
Coaches: Zaur Antia and Eddie Bolger
Performance Analyst Alan Swanton
Sports Psychologist: Gerry Hussey