BROADHURST GEARS UP FOR LAST FOUR CLASH

Amy Broadhurst is taking it one contest at a time at the European U/22 Championships and is not looking too far ahead – even if Sunday’s finals in Russia are being held on her birthday.

The St Patrick’s Day born southpaw and World No.8 ranked light-welter meets France’s Fatia Benmessahel tomorrow for a place in the March 17 gold medal match.

England’s Shona Whitwell and Italy’s Rebecca Nicoli clash in the corresponding lightweight semi-final in Vladikavkaz.

Broadhurst has claimed six European medals – European Junior (gold), EU Junior (gold), European Youth (silver), European Youth (gold) and European U/22 (gold) – since 2012 and is a confirmed Continental medal magnet. The Dealgan BC lefty is guaranteed at least bronze in Vladikavkaz.

Friday’s three-rounder with France will see the European U/22 defending champion aiming to reach her sixth successive Continental decider in seven years.

”(It’s) madness to have six European medals now from six European Championships! Big achievement for me. I’m just taking one fight at a time. If I win my semi then hopefully my birthday present will be a gold medal but I’m only half way there,” she said.

Broadhurst, who has moved down a notch from light-welter – the limit she claimed an Irish Elite belt at last month – to light, is not reading too much into the sparring session she had with Benmessahel in Offaly in the past.

“Yeah, we sparred a few years ago but everyone improves. I’m sure she’ll bring in a tough fight,” she added.

Paris-born Benmessahel has shared the ring with some top international athletes.

In 2018, she dropped a  4-1 verdict to Sandra Brugger, who Olympic and current IBF/WBA champion Katie Taylor beat in the amateur ranks, in the Eindhoven Box Cup final and she was also on the wrong end of a  4-1 decision to Allana Nihell-Murphy in the semi-finals of the Haringey International last year.

Taylor and Nihell-Murphy met in the first officially IABA sanctioned women’s bout at the National Stadium in Dublin in 2001.

Benmessahel holds decisions over Ireland’s Shauna O’Callaghan, who lined out for Ireland in Russia this week, Evelyn Igharo and Orla Garvey.

The Parisian claimed 60kg gold at the Monkstown Cup in Dublin in 2016.

Team Ireland finished up a training session this afternoon and Broadhurst will be well prepared, according to Irish coach Dmitry Dimitruk.

“We just finished a session. Amy is very focussed and is ready for battle. Everything will be on the day,” he said.

Broadhurst and Benmessahel will be in the ring at approximately 1.15pm (Irish time) tomorrow.

Team Ireland are due to arrive home via Dublin Airport at 9.10pm Monday evening via Moscow (Aeroflot).

European U/22 Men’s and Women’s Championships Vladikavkaz, Russia

 

March 15

(S/Finals)

60kg Amy Broadhurst (Ireland) v Fatia Benmessahel (France)
60kg Shona Whitwell (England) v Rebecca Nicoli (Italy)

March 13

(Q/Finals)

52kg Adam Hession (Ireland) lost to Rotyslav Bilototskyi (Ukraine) 0-5
75kg Gabriel Dossen (Ireland lost to Aleksei Semykin (Russia) ABD3

March 12

Q/Finals

51kg Niamh Earley (Ireland) lost to Giovanna Marchese (Italy) 1-4
60kg Amy Broadhurst (Ireland) beat Kinga Mezovari (Hungary) 5-0
75kg Aoife O’Rourke (Ireland) lost to Anastasiya Shamonova (Russia) 0-5

March 11

(Last 16)

69kg Paddy Donovan (Ireland) lost to Vakhid Abbasov (Russia) 0-5
75kg Gabriel Dossen (Ireland) beat Florin Simion (Romania) 5-0

March 10

(Last 16)

57kg Mary Geraghty (Ireland) lost to Victoria Glover (Scotland) 0-5
60kg David Oliver Joyce (Ireland) lost to Beslan Khamzaev (Russia) 1-4
64kg Pierce O’Leary (Ireland) lost to Mike McDonagh (Wales) 0-5

March 9

(Last 32)

60kg David Oliver Joyce (Ireland) beat Oleg Chulkyacheyev (Ukraine) 5-0
69kg Paddy Donovan (Ireland) beat Sam Wagensvela (Netherlands) 4-1
75kg Gabriel Dossen (Ireland) beat Andrei Vreme (Moldova) 5-0

March 8

(Last 16)

60kg Amy Broadhurst (Ireland) beat En Gizem (Turkey) 5-0
64kg Shauna O’Callaghan (Ireland) lost to Chelsey Heijnen (Netherlands) RSC2

 

Irish squad

Female

51kg Niamh Earley (Ryston)

57kg Mary Geraghty (St Anthonys)

60kg Amy Broadhurst (Dealgan) (Bronze, at least)

64kg Shauna O’Callaghan (Clann Naofa)

75kg Aoife O’Rourke (Castlerea) Cpt

Male

52kg Adam Hession (Monivea)

60kg Davey Oliver Joyce (Ballymun)

64kg Pierce O’Leary (Dublin Docklands)

69kg Patrick Donovan (OLOL)

75kg Gabriel Dossen (Olympic) Cpt

Team Manager: Stephen Molloy

Head Coach: Dmitry Dmitruk

Coaches: Anita Just, Philip Keogh

R&J: Stephen Kelly