Steven Donnelly hits the target
Rio Olympian Steven Donnelly gets Northern Ireland’s Commonwealth Games campaign underway versus Welsh middleweight Kyran Jones in Gold Coast, Australia on Friday.
Both men meet in the last 32 at the Oxenford Studios venue.
Having finished in 2nd place in the medals table at the 2014 Commonwealths in Scotland and 1st at the 2010 tournament in India, the Irish squad will be one of the teams to beat at the 21st edition of the event.
The light-fly, feather and welter limits have been added for women in Australia.
India’s Mary Kom, the only female boxer to win five World Elite belts besides Katie Taylor, is in the light-fly mix, along with Irish champion Kristina O’Hara
O’Hara, a promising full back, told the Irish News that she had a choice to make between football and boxing after attracting the attention of Nottingham Forest.
“If the ball came near me I just kicked it away, and made sure no-one got past me,” said the 2017 Elite champion.
Meanwhile, current Irish and EU Elite champion Michaela Walsh will be aiming to go one better than Glasgow 2014 where she was edged out in the flyweight final on a split decision by two-time Olympic champion Nicola Adams.
Rio Olympian Brendan Irvine is in action Monday, and his fellow European Elite medallist Kurt Walker meets Australia’s Jack Bowen.
Sean McComb awaits the winner of the England versus Uganda preliminary.
2018 Commonwealth Games Gold Coast Australia
Women
April 8th
Q/Final
48kg Kristina O’Hara v Lynsey Holadaway (Wales)
April 10th
Q/Final
57kg Michaela Walsh V Keam Kenosi (Botswana)
April 11th
Q/Finals
51kg Carly McNaul v Ayisat Oriyomi (Nigeria)
60kg Alanna Nihell v Laiine Soma (Papa New Guinea) or Page Murney (England)
Men
April 6th
Last 32
75kg Steven Donnelly v Kyran Jones (Wales)
April 7th
Last 16
56kg Kurt Walker v Jack Bowen (Australia)
69kg Aidan Walsh v William Le (GEY) or Gul Zaib (PAK)
April 8th
Last 16
64kg Sean McComb v Kavuma Ssemuju (Uganda) or Luke McCormack (England)
April 9th
Last 16
52kg Brendan Irvine v Jabah Breedy (Barbados)
60kg James McGivern v Emanuel Ngoma (Zambia) or Tevii Steven (KIR)
April 10th
Q/Finals
91kg Dee Sullivan v Jason Whateley (Australia)
91kg+ Stephen McMonagle v Mitchell Barton (Scotland) or Patrick Mailato (New Zealand)
2018 Commonwealth Games, Gold Coast Australia, April 4th/15th
Northern Ireland Squad
48kg Kristina O’Hara (St John Bosco)
51kg Carly McNaul (Holy Family)
52kg Brendan Irvine (St Paul’s)
56kg Kurt Walker (Canal)
57kg Michaela Walsh (Monkstown)
60kg James McGivern (St George’s)
60kg Alanna Nihell (Eastside/British Army)
64kg Sean McComb (Holy Trinity)
69kg Aidan Walsh (Monkstown)
75kg Steven Donnelly (All Saints)
91kg Dee Sullivan (Emerald)
+91kg Stephen McMonagle (Holy Trinity)
Coaches: John Conlan, Peter Brady and Damien Kennedy