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