Dublin’s Adam Olaniyan delivered Ireland’s first gold medal of the European Schoolboy/girl Championships in emphatic style in Tbilisi, Georgia today.
The Dubliner, a heavyweight bouncing around like a featherweight, beat Georgia’s Davit Stepulenko on a unanimous decision – 30-27,30-27,30-26,30-27,30-27 – in bout No. 267 in the Georgian capital.
The top of the podium finished for the Jobstown BC ace secured Ireland’s 18th gold at this level since the inaugural tournament in 2003 in Rome.
Olaniyan, pictured above with gold, dominated all three rounds in a top drawer performance the Irish coaching staff described as class.
The Irish champion won three fights en route to the 90kg title.
Kildare’s Esther Lambe, Dublin’s Sean Tyndall and Kilkenny’s Michael McCarthy had to settle for silver today.
But the Irish trio won plenty of plaudits for their gutsy and skilful displays.
McCarthy was beaten by Tiziano Gugieman.
The Italian light-welter earned a 30-26,30-27,30-26,30-27,30-26 verdict with McCarthy taking a standing count – it appeared that the Irish champion landed the last punch in the exchange – near the end of the second.
All three rounds were tight, with both young men delivering and receiving plenty of shots in close range combat.
Tyndall was beaten by Georgia’s Gor Ayvazian in the 41.5kg three-rounder.
Both young men went about their business hammer and thong in an unrelenting decider in Tbilisi, with Tyndall detonating some massive shots in a fiery three rounder.
Final scores 30-27,30-27,30-27,30-27, 29-28 to Ayvazian.
Lambe was edged on a 3-2 split decision by Ukraine’s Polina Mishenko in the 44kg final.
The Setanta BC stand out found the target with the majority of cleaner shots against her talented opponent, showcased better footwork and head movement and kept driving forward, but three of the five judges leaned toward Mishenko – 29-28,30-27,29-28 and 30-27,29-28 to Lambe.
Irish female captain Georgia McGovern, Katie O’Keeffe, a bronze medallist at the 2018 European Schoolgirls, Caoimhe Kinsella and Ava Rose Lyndon fight for gold tomorrow. Boxing begins at 11am (Irish time).
As things stand, team Ireland will be bringing home one gold, three silver and ten bronze, with the colour of four additional medals to be decided on Sunday.
Team Ireland are due to arrive home via Dublin Airport at 10 am on Monday morning. (Turkish TK1975 (12 AUG) Istanbul @ 0725 & Dublin @ 1000 (Terminal 1).
2019 European Schoolboy/girls Championships Tbilisi, Georgia
Finals
August 10
41,5kg Sean Tyndall (Ireland) lost to Gor Ayvazian (Georgia) 0-5
44kg Esther Lambe (Ireland) lost to Polina Mishenko (Ukraine) 2-3
62kg Micheal McCarthy (Ireland) lost to Tiziano Gugieman (Italy) 0-5
90kg Adam Olaniyan (Ireland) beat Davit Stepulenko (Georgia) 5-0
August 11
Finals
38kg Caoimhe Kinsella (Ireland) v Gulcan Turgul (Turkey)
42kg Katie O’Keeffe (Ireland) v Aurika Kostrytska (Ukraine)
51kg Georgia McGovern (Ireland) v Matia Sannino (Italy)
64kg Ava Rose Lyndon (Ireland) v Paris Smith (England)
August 9
S/Finals
36kg Carlagh Mullarney (Ireland) lost to Sophie Harker (England) 1-4
38kg Caoimhe Kinsella (Ireland) beat Tamar Samelia (Georgia) 5-0
40kg Shakira McCrudden (Ireland) lost to Laila Abdullatif (Cyprus) 0-5
40kg Roy Colgan (Ireland) lost to Murad Tagin (Georgia) 0-5
41,5kg Sean Tyndall (Ireland) beat Vitas Hartsuyeu (Belarus) 4-1
42kg Katie O’Keeffe (Ireland) beat Ferraris Matiloe (Italy) RSC1
44kg Esther Lambe (Ireland) beat Akdi Cansu (Turkey) 5-0
46kg Carleigh Irving (Ireland) lost to Jessica Keeton (England) 0-5
48kg Nora Jackman (Ireland) lost to Alice Pumprey (England) 0-5
51kg Georgia McGovern (Ireland) beat Silvija Karavackaite (Lithuania) 5-0
56kg Laurence Connors (Ireland) lost to Arthur Mkrtchyen (Armenia) 0-5
57kg Alicia King (Ireland) lost to Luisa Acconcia (Italy) 1-4
60kg Gabrielle Mongan (Ireland) lost to Louis Briggs (England) 0-5
62kg Micheal McCarthy (Ireland) beat Mikita Bruyev (Belarus) 3-2
68kg Thomas Ward (Ireland) lost to Ethan Moore (England) 0-5
64kg Ava Rose Lyndon (Ireland) beat Sudenaz Balioglu (Turkey) RSC3
76kg Caolan Devlin (Ireland) lost to Mateo Pejic (Croatia) 0-5
90kg Adam Olaniyan (Ireland) beat Alex Ardeieanu (Romania) 5-0
August 7
Q/Finals
38.5kg Kai Griffin (Ireland) lost to Luka Tsuleiskirl (Georgia) 2-3
40kg Roy Colgan (Ireland) beat Tom Odlozilik (Czech Rep) 5-0
43kg Kyle Smith (Ireland) lost to Yehor Kirylus (Ukraine) 2-3
46kg Blaine Fitzgerald O’Sullivan (Ireland) lost to Arman Miskaryan (Armenia) 0-5
48kg Padraig Stapleton (Ireland) lost Anatolli Yem (Ukraine) 2-3
50kg James O’Reilly Thornhill (Ireland) lost to Hlib Hryhorian (Ukraine) 0-5
54kg Cole Byrne (Ireland) lost to Narek Nersisyan (Armenia) 0-5
56kg Laurence Connors (Ireland) beat Sven Cuppen (Netherlands) 3-2
59kg Patrick Stokes (Ireland) lost to Danil Afanasyeu (Belarus) 0-5
62kg Micheal McCarthy (Ireland) beat Kian Govan (Scotland) 5-0
76kg Caolan Devlin (Ireland) beat Islam Huseynli (Azerbaijan) 5-0
August 6
Q/Finals
41,5kg Sean Tyndall (Ireland) beat Matko Stojanovic (Croatia) RSC2
42kg Katie O’Keeffe (Ireland) beat Jocelyn Kilkenny (England) 5-0
44kg Esther Lambe (Ireland) beat Miria Rossetti (Italy) 5-0
46kg Carleigh Irving (Ireland) beat Pinar Ozkan (Turkey) 4-1
48kg Nora Jackman (Ireland) beat Dragana Jovanovic (Serbia) 5-0
52kg Lee McEvoy (Ireland) lost to Demur Kajaia (Georgia) 0-5
54kg Niamh Keogh (Ireland) lost to Izabel Devenyi (Hungary) 0-5
68kg Thomas Ward (Ireland) beat Yahor Prudnikau (Belarus) 5-0
70kg Breanna Ryan Tobin (Ireland) lost to Tatia Bukia (Georgia) 0-5
90kg Adam Olaniyan (Ireland) beat Avetik Hovakimyan (Armenia) 5-0
80kg Bernard Cawley (Ireland) lost to Yehor Harutyunyan (Ukraine) 0-5
90kg+ Danny O’Brien (Ireland) lost to Lovro Pavcec (Croatia) 0-5
August 5
Last 16
38.5kg Kai Griffin (Ireland) beat Fjodor Kamanin (Spain) 5-0
40kg Roy Colgan (Ireland) beat Ellul Cayden (Malta) RSC2
43kg Kyle Smith (Ireland) beat Saoeha Yaroslav (Belarus) 5-0
48kg Padraig Stapleton (Ireland) beat Georgios Pleas (Greece) 5-0
54kg Cole Byrne (Ireland) beat Gasimili Mehman (Azerbaijan) 5-0
56kg Laurence Connors (Ireland) beat Fuad Babayev (Azerbaijan) 5-0
72kg Ryan Collins (Ireland) lost to Oleksii Stepanov (Ukraine) 1-4
August 4
Last 16
44.5kg Malo Davis (Ireland) lost to Kiril Bazhenov (Ukraine) 0-5
52kg Lee McEvoy (Ireland) beat Antonio Hauer (Czech Republic) 5-0
Last 32
54kg Cole Byrne (Ireland) beat Dan Sablinski (Lithuania) 5-0
Irish squad
Male
38.5kg Kai Ducque Griffin (Drimnagh)
40kg Roy Farrelly Colgan (Avona) Captain (Bronze)
41.5kg Sean Tyndall (Dublin Docklands) (Silver)
43kg Kyle Thomas Smith (Holy Trinity)
44.5kg Malo Davis (Monkstown Dublin)
46kg Blaine Fitzgerald O’Sullivan (Corinthians)
48kg Padraig Flynn Stapleton (Monkstown Dublin)
50kg James O’Reilly Thornhill (Togher)
52kg Lee McEvoy (Avona)
54kg Cole Byrne (Enniskerry)
56kg Laurence Connors (St Mary’s Dublin) (Bronze)
59kg Patrick Stokes (St Johns Derry)
62kg Micheal McCarthy (Urlingford) (Silver, at least)
68kg Thomas Ward (Carrickmore) Vice Captain (Bronze)
72kg Ryan Collins Murphy (Neilstown)
76kg Caolan Devlin (Mark Heagney) (Bronze)
80kg Bernard Cawley (St Davids Naas)
90kg Adam Olaniyan (Jobstown) (Silver, at least)
90kg+ Danny O’Brien (Shadows)
Female
36kg Carlagh Mullarney (Ballyhaunis) (Bronze)
38kg Caoimhe Kinsella (St Anthony’s Pats) (Silver, at least)
40kg Shakira McCrudden (Riverside) (Bronze)
42kg Katie O’Keeffe (Kanturk) (Silver, at least)
44kg Esther Lambe (Setanta) (Silver)
46kg Carleigh Irving (Illies Golden Gloves) (Bronze)
48kg Nora Jackman (Paulstown) (Bronze)
51kg Georgia Dunne McGovern (Drimnagh) Captain (Silver, at least)
54kg Niamh Keogh (Olympic Mullingar)
57kg Alicia King (Ratoath Golden Gloves) (Bronze)
60kg Gabrielle Mongan (Whitechurch) (Bronze)
64kg Ava Rose Henry Lyndon (Glin) Vice Captain (Silver, at least)
70kg Breanna Ryan Tobin (Spartan)
Officials
IABA President: Dominic O’Rourke (St Michaels Athy)
Team Managers: Stephen Connolly (Curragh) & Jennifer O’Sullivan (Sliabh Luachra)
Coaches: Eve Carr (St Michaels Athy),Patrick Gallagher (Maynooth), James O’Neill (Clann Naofa),Martin Donovan (O.L.O.L.),Killian Walsh (Dungarvan), Paul Archbold (St Davids Naas)