TWO-TIME European U/22 champion Amy Broadhurst believed it wasn’t realistic to win five Continental gold medals – until she became unrealistic.
The Dealgan BC southpaw moved down to lightweight just a few weeks after winning her first National Elite belt at light welter (her 17th Irish title) at Dublin’s National Stadium to claim
her second successive European U/22 60kg gold in Russia on St Patrick’s Day last Sunday.
She celebrated her birthday on the same day.
Broadhurst has reached six European underage finals in her career and has taken home five gold medals.
The 22-year-old won three fights en route to European U/22 gold in Romania in 2018 and four in Russia last week to go 7 and 0 in a tournament in which she will always remain unbeaten.
She beat French and Italian opponents in the 2018 and 2019 semi-finals and finals.
“Coming over, I wasn’t expecting to get gold because it just didn’t seem realistic to win five on the trot, she told the Dundalk Democrat.
“People used to say that no-one is going to do what Katie Taylor did, nobody really thought anyone could win two or three on the trot, but I’m after winning five on the trot and a silver medal.
“Bernard Dunne (IABA High-Performance Director) had said to me that these Europeans would be a big test for me, with it being an Olympic year, but I didn’t let the pressure get to me, I knew once I performed to my best that that would be the main thing.
“Each fight and performance got better for me, which I was happy with, but there’s is obviously a lot of room for improvement still.”
Ireland at the European U/22 Men’s and Women’s Championships
2012 Russia
75kg Jason Quigley Gold
49kg Hugh Myers Silver
2018 Romania
60kg Amy Broadhurst Gold
75kg Aoife O’Rourke Silver
2019 Russia
60kg Amy Broadhurst Gold