The draw has taken place for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, charting the path to the podium for Team Ireland Boxing.

This team is the largest Team Ireland Boxing Team since Rome of 1960. Only Australia (12) & Uzbekistan (11) will have more boxers in Paris. Team Ireland is one of only 3 countries to have qualified a woman at all weights – an extraordinary achievement, given Paris is only the fourth Olympic cycle at which women may box.

50kg Daina Moorehouse

Daina has a bye in the preliminaries and will meet 7th seed, France’s Wassila Lkhadiri in last 16. Daina won’t make her Paris debut until August 1st.

54kg Jennifer Lehane

Jenny has a bye, and makes her Olympic debut against Yuan Chang of China on July 30th

57kg Michaela Walsh

Michaela has a bye, opening her account on August 2nd V Svetlana Kamenov Staneva of Buglaria

60kg Kellie Harrington

The defending lightweight champion was seeded 3rd in June’s seeding draw. She opens her campaign on July 29th, against the winner of the preceding meeting between Italy and Turkey

66kg Grainne Walsh

No bye for Grainne Walsh – she’s in preliminaries action on Sunday against Hungary’s Anna Luca Hamori

75kg Aoife O’Rourke

The four time continental champion, who is seeded 2nd, begins her second Olympic campaign against Poland’s Elisabeta Wojcik – they’ve met four times before, and Aoife has been the victor on all occasions.

57kg Jude Gallagher

Jude Gallagher has a bye, and meets Philippines Carlo Paalam on July 31st. The Ethiopian boxer was removed before the draw, so there are now 17 boxers in the weight.

63.5kg Dean Clancy

63.5kg Dean Clancy is in action on Saturday against Jordan’s Obada Alkasbeh

71kg Aidan Walsh

Tokyo bronze medalist, Aidan, opens his account on Sunday – he takes on Makan Traore of France on Sunday

92kg Jack Marley

The first Irish heavyweight to qualify for an Olympic Games in almost 30 years, Jack is seeded 7th. He first in action on Sunday, against Poland’s Mateusz Bereznicki

Entry List by NOC

248 boxers from 69 countries will compete over the next 16 days – largest cohort of entries, at 90, is from Europe:

Competition Schedule

Boxing Schedule

Boxing from July 27th to August 3rd takes place at the North Paris Arena. Boxing from August 4th to 10th takes place at Roland Garros. August 5th is a rest day at the tournament.

Morning sessions begin at 10am, Irish time.

Afternoon sessions begin at 2.30pm, Irish time

Evening sessions begin at 7pm, Irish time.

July 27th Round of 32: W54kg, W60kg, M63.5kg & M80kg.

July 28th Round of 32: W50kg, W66kg, M57kg, M71kg, M92kg % M92+kg.

July 29th Last 16 in M63.5, 92 & 92+kg, and W60kg

July 30th Last 16 in M51 & M80kg, and W54 & W57kg

July 31st Last 16 M57 & 71kg, and W75kg, plus QF of W60kg

August 1st QF of M63.5 & 92kg, last 16 W50 & 66kg, QF of W54kg

August 2nd QF of M51, 80 & +92kg, and last 16 W57kg

August 3rd QF of M57 & 71kg, and W50 & 66kg, SF of W60kg

August 4th SF of M51, 63.5, 80 & 92kg,QF W57 & 75kg, SF of W54kg

August 5th rest day

August 6th SF of M71kg, SF W50 & 66kg, and W60kg final

August 7th SF M92+kg & W57kg, Finals of M63.5 & 80kg

August 8th SF M57kg & W75kg, Finals M51kg and W54kg

August 9th Finals of M71 & 92kg, Finals of W50 & 66kg

August 10th Finals of M57 & 92+kg, Finals of  W57 & 75kg

Day One – July 27th, Round of 32

63.5kg Dean Clancy is the only Team Ireland boxer in action on the opening day – He contests his Round of 32 bout against Jordan’s Obada Alkasbeh in Bout 8 of Saturday’s Afternoon Session. He is expected in the ring at around 3.20pm.

Watch

RTE will have significant coverage of the Games on RTE 2, RTE Player, online, on Radio and through the RTE app. Full details are available here

The full Games streaming service for all sports is here – free account set up is required:

https://www.discoveryplus.com/ie/olympics/sport/boxing

Team Ireland Boxing

Athletes:

Kellie Harrington (Dublin) Women’s 60kg

Aidan Walsh (Belfast) Men’s 71kg

Aoife O’Rourke (Castlerea) Women’s -75kg

Daina Moorehouse (Bray) Women’s -50kg

Dean Clancy (Sligo) Men’s 63.5kg

Grainne Walsh (Tullamore) Women’s -66kg

Jude Gallagher (Newtownstewart, Co. Tyrone) Men’s -57kg

Jennifer Lehane (Ashbourne, Co. Meath) Women’s -54kg

Jack Marley (Sallynoggin, Dublin) Men’s -92kg

Michaela Walsh (Belfast) Women’s -57kg

Staff:

Tricia Heberle – Performance Director & Team Leader

Zauri Antia – Head Coach

Damian Kennedy – Coach

Lynne McEnery – Coach

James Doyle – Coach

Jim Clover – Doctor

Lorcan McGee – Physio

Paula Fitzpatrick – Physiologist

Entries are now being accepted for the 2024 National U18 Competition. This competition will be used as part of the process for possible selection for the 2024IBA World Youth Championships.

Competition Arrangements

Venue:                                    National Stadium, Dublin.

                                                (The U18s Competition will be used as part of the process for possible

                                                Selection for the IBA World Youth Championships.

                                                (October 20^th to November 06^th.

Dates:                                     August 16^th,17^th,23^rd,24^th and 30^th, 31^st.    

Entries:                                  A non–refundable entry fee of €30 applies, including in the event of a boxer withdrawal.  Online entry, via the Blocworx portal, is open until 5pm sharp, on Friday, August 09th. Entries will not be accepted without the payment of entry fees. All fees must be paid by 5pm on August 09th. Only boxers for whom entries have been completed and entry fees have been received will be allowed box. No late entries will be accepted.

Entry Form:                          Affiliated clubs wishing to enter boxers into the championships must log-in to their Blocworx portal, using their unique username and password. Clubs who have not retained their username or password following the completion of their affiliation for the 2024/2025 season can contact IABA staff, Sally Ann Kinch sally@iaba.ie, James Geraghty, James@iaba.ie or Ciara Plunkett, ciara@iaba.ie.

As the U18 National Competition form a basis for team selection to international competition, please be aware that all boxers entering this competition must: (1) be members of an IABA affiliated club, (2) must be explicitly named in their club’s Blocworx portal, (3) be eligible to represent IABA under IBA eligibility regulations {4.2}, holding an applicable in-date passport, (4) boxers must have completed the applicable waiver/code of conduct process

No international competition kits to be worn by any boxers; boxers may wear club kit, only.

Draws:                                    Tuesday, 13^th August, 1pm in the National Stadium.

Only boxers entered through the Blocworx portal for whom fees are fully paid will be included in the draw.

Attention is drawn to the following IABA rule –

A club shall not include in its list of members the name of any person who is a member of any other club.

Accordingly, any club making an entry to the U18 competition affirms that the entrant is not a member of any other club, in any jurisdiction.

Weigh-in and Medical: Boxers will weigh in each day they box. Individual weigh-in times may be given to participants, but this will be decided and made known prior to the event.  A medical examination will be performed on each boxer on their first day of competition.

Boxing Record books and Irish passports to be presented by the boxer at their initial weigh-in.  No data will be retained from Irish passports

Weigh-in dates:

August 17^th – 18^th : 8:00am – 11:00am

August 23^rd – 24^th: 8:00am – 11:00am.

August 30^th – 31^st: 8:00am 11:00am

Boxing:           Thursday, Thursday 11^th at 7.00pm. Other times will be contingent on entries and shall be announced after the draw.

Duration:       Duration of rounds: Men & Women 3×3 Minutes

Weights:        

Men: 48kg, 51kg, 54kg, 57kg, 60kg, 63.5kg, 67kg, 71kg, 75kg, 80kg, 86kg, 92kg,  92+kg

Women: 48kg, 50kg, 52kg, 54kg, 57kg, 60kg, 63kg, 66kg, 70kg, 75kg, 81kg, 81+kg

Age Requirements:  Boxers born between 2006 to 2007 inclusive.

It is a condition of entry that all competitors and officials have a signed Waiver/Members Acknowledgement Form and adhere to any agreement made with the Association sponsors.

Anti-Doping may be carried out at any stage of the championships and all boxers must advise the doctor of any medication they are taking or have taken in the preceding 4 weeks. It is imperative that all boxers adhere to the Anti-Doping Rules and Regulations. For any queries regarding this matter, boxers/coaches should contact Mr Larry Morrison, IBA Anti-Doping Officer on 086-0292476.

Non Pregnancy Declaration forms must be signed.

Attire: Boxers shall have one red and one blue vest. In accordance the IBA Technical and Competition Rule 48.7, boxers may wear form-fitting arm and/or leg coverings. Hair must be tied back and swimming hats or hairnets should be worn under the headgear for boxers with long hair. No red, orange or pink gum shields are allowed A Boxer can have a beard and moustache, but either must not cover the neck and must not be longer that 10cms, in accordance with the IBA Technical and Competition Rule 4.2.5.2.2

Coaches: They must wear track suitsandrunners at all sessions and endeavour to set a high standard of hygiene in the corners. No shorts, caps or hats are allowed. Only qualified coaches permitted in corners.

Sportsmanship: All decisions must be accepted in a sporting manner. Any complaints must be addressed to the Chief Official, Mr. Philip Rooney. Please show respect to all Ringside Officials. A document stipulating requirements in relation to conduct and the use of social media must be signed by all boxers and coaches at their initial weigh-in.

Please note: 

• Referees & Judges for the U18s Competition will not be allowed enter the field of play as a coach with their club boxer.
• All Referee & Judges must bring their record books.

Circular:

IABA is launching the Strategic Plan 2024-2028, In Your Corner, today, as Irish Boxing prepares to celebrate its Olympic centenary.

Development of this strategy was driven by members and included an online member consultation, in October-November 2023 and 7 in-person member consultation workshops at locations throughout the Association, between November and February. Consultations also took place with key stakeholders, such as SportNI, Sport Ireland, and the Olympic Federation of Ireland.

• IABA’s Strategic Plan, In Your Corner, encompasses the period up to LA 2028, and key elements are:
• Provision for the reform of the Association’s internal architecture
• A High Performance Youth and Juniors Pathway, from grassroots to the top of the Olympic podium
• Ambitious targets for member, club and coach growth
• Redevelopment of the home of Irish Boxing, the National Stadium
• Identifying and actioning funding streams, to better support the development of our sport.
• Working to ensure Irish Boxing has visibility in the media outside the Olympic cycle

In Your Corner is Irish Boxing’s most ambitious strategic plan to date, a plan in which we safeguard our heritage, and shape our legacy – not only as Ireland’s most successful Olympic sport, but as the heart of the communities in which our clubs are rooted.

This plan is published as IABA approaches the 100^th anniversary of Irish Boxing’s participation in the Olympic Games, having qualified a team of 10 – the largest since Rome 1960. Our sport remains Ireland’s most successful Olympic Sport, winning 18 of Ireland’s 35 medals. Half of Irish Boxing’s Olympic medals have been won in an extraordinary 20-year period of international success. Our ability to contest and achieve on the international stage, relative to the size of our Association, is virtually unmatched. This talent must be supported and protected at every level through our High Performance Programme.  In Your Corner includes a High Performance Youth & Junior Pathway process, and Coaching and R&J skill-building to ensure we can build, even further, on the international stage.

Chair of IABA’s Board of Directors, Niall O’Carroll, says” As our community evolves, the Association must further develop to meet the changing needs of the Irish Boxing Family. This includes streamlining structure, creating more and better skill building opportunities for members in every kind of role in our community – from boxer, to youth and club leadership, regional and national leadership. We must invest in our community to ensure it meets the needs members have shared with us, but also allows us to open the doors of our sport to wider society and grow the number of clubs, boxers – competitive and non-competitive, coaches, R&Js and boxing administrators.”

Niall O’Carroll adds “We have many challenges to face at home and internationally. Our Association cannot continue to rely solely on our funders to finance our future development. Revenue streams must be identified and secured for investment in our sport, our visibility in the media should no longer be tied only to our remarkable Olympic success, and we must invest in technologies to better serve our community. We must also decide where our future, internationally, lies. That decision is within the sole gift of our members.”

Interim CEO John Nangle says “Our Association would not exist without the thousands of people who give, relentlessly, of their time to their clubs, their boxers, and to local, regional and national competition. This strategy was created by the Boxing Community for the Boxing Community, and their support of it ensure a bright and certain future for our sport.”

John adds “Key elements of this strategy include be a needs analysis of clubs, the recruitment of staff in membership services management roles, and the implementation of a CRM that will best serve the needs of our members. We’ll also be seeking an academic partner to conduct long over-due research in to the profound benefits boxing clubs have within their communities. This is an exciting time.”

The creation of this far-reaching four-year plan was a highly collaborative process in which all members of the Boxing Community could engage in a range of in-person, remote and online settings. Each member of the Boxing Community who participated in this partnership process brought with them an intimate knowledge of our sport and invaluable sign-posting of our path forward, together.

Notes

Development of this strategy, over a period of 6 months included:

• Establishment of a Steering Group, comprised of members, staff and Board of Directors representatives.
• An online member consultation
• 6 in-person member consultation workshops at locations throughout the Association
• Consultation workshops with staff, funders and external stakeholders.

In Your Corner was developed with the facilitation of Maeve Buckley of Leading Sport

Paris 2024

The team is in taper camp at the Olympic Village, preparing for the draw, which takes place at 6pm today.

Team and bios are available here

FAQs on scheduling, the draw, seeding and how to watch, available here

Requests for #TeamIreland via OFI Head of Communications, Heather Boyle heather@olympicsport.ie // +353 87 337 1954

About IABA

Formed in 1911, the Irish Athletic Boxing Association is the governing body for boxing on the island of Ireland. IABA is home to more than 350 clubs and 17,000 members. Over 80% of our membership is under the age of 18. The IABA operates from the National Stadium in Dublin, the only purpose-built amateur boxing stadium in the world.

In Your Corner: IABA Strategic Plan, 2024-2028

Team Ireland’s Paris 2024 boxing camp will begin on Saturday – and the all-important draw will take place on Thursday evening at around 6pm, Irish time.

This team is the largest Team Ireland Boxing Team since Rome of 1960. Only Australia (12) & Uzbekistan (11) will have more boxers in Paris. Team Ireland is one of only 3 countries to have qualified a woman at all weights – an extraordinary achievement, given Paris is only the fourth Olympic cycle at which women may box.

The team arrived at the Olympic Village on Monday, and are in the midst of taper camp. Sport Entries Check took place this morning, and the scene is set for a scintillating fortnight of boxing.

Here’s all you need to know:

Accepted Quotas

Draw

The draw takes place on Thursday evening, at 6pm, Irish time. Draw sheets, programmes and results will be published here

Three Team Ireland boxers, all of whom qualified through continental qualifiers, have been seeded:

60kg Kellie Harrington, 3rd Seed
75kg Aoife O’Rourke, 2nd Seed
92kg Jack Marley, 7th Seed

The full seeding draw is here:

Boxing Schedule

Boxing from July 27th to August 3rd takes place at the North Paris Arena. Boxing from August 4th to 10th takes place at Roland Garros. August 5th is a rest day at the tournament.

Morning sessions begin at 10am, Irish time.

Afternoon sessions begin at 2.30pm, Irish time

Evening sessions begin at 7pm, Irish time.

July 27th Round of 32: W54kg, W60kg, M63.5kg & M80kg.

July 28th Round of 32: W50kg, W66kg, M57kg, M71kg, M92kg % M92+kg.

July 29th Last 16 in M63.5, 92 & 92+kg, and W60kg

July 30th Last 16 in M51 & M80kg, and W54 & W57kg

July 31st Last 16 M57 & 71kg, and W75kg, plus QF of W60kg

August 1st QF of M63.5 & 92kg, last 16 W50 & 66kg, QF of W54kg

August 2nd QF of M51, 80 & +92kg, and last 16 W57kg

August 3rd QF of M57 & 71kg, and W50 & 66kg, SF of W60kg

August 4th SF of M51, 63.5, 80 & 92kg,QF W57 & 75kg, SF of W54kg

August 5th rest day

August 6th SF of M71kg, SF W50 & 66kg, and W60kg final

August 7th SF M92+kg & W57kg, Finals of M63.5 & 80kg

August 8th SF M57kg & W75kg, Finals M51kg and W54kg

August 9th Finals of M71 & 92kg, Finals of W50 & 66kg

August 10th Finals of M57 & 92+kg, Finals of  W57 & 75kg

Watch

RTE will have significant coverage of the Games on RTE 2, RTE Player, online, on Radio and through the RTE app. Full details are available here

The full Games streaming service for all sports is here – free account set up is required:

https://www.discoveryplus.com/ie/olympics/sport/boxing

Team Ireland Boxing

Athletes:

Kellie Harrington (Dublin) Women’s 60kg

Aidan Walsh (Belfast) Men’s 71kg

Aoife O’Rourke (Castlerea) Women’s -75kg

Daina Moorehouse (Bray) Women’s -50kg

Dean Clancy (Sligo) Men’s 63.5kg

Grainne Walsh (Tullamore) Women’s -66kg

Jude Gallagher (Newtownstewart, Co. Tyrone) Men’s -57kg

Jennifer Lehane (Ashbourne, Co. Meath) Women’s -54kg

Jack Marley (Sallynoggin, Dublin) Men’s -92kg

Michaela Walsh (Belfast) Women’s -57kg

Staff:

Tricia Heberle – Performance Director & Team Leader

Zauri Antia – Head Coach

Damian Kennedy – Coach

Lynne McEnery – Coach

James Doyle – Coach

Jim Clover – Doctor

Lorcan McGee – Physio

Paula Fitzpatrick – Physiologist

IABA is preparing to tender for the provision of an online system which clubs will use to affiliate, submit competition entries, book courses and other club-related business. IABA intends for any new system to evolve beyond the uses of the current online system.

IABA is inviting two suitably qualified members to sit on the CRM Working Group. The Working Group’s primary goal will be to set out how any new system will meet the needs of boxing clubs, with a key focus on ease of use. This Working Group may:

1. Conduct a SWOT analysis of the existing system
2. Engage in research on CRMs in use in similar or comparable settings
3. Input in to the pre-tender, tender and post-tender processes.
4. Have input in to the implementation and roll-out of any new system.

Members wishing to express their interest in being part of the CRM Working Group should:

1. Be a member of a successfully affiliated club for the current season
2. Be named in their club’s Blocworx portal
3. Be in good standing and, fulfill any two of the following:

              Be a sport administration

              Have professional experience in use of CRM systems

              Have professional IT or UX experience

Members considering expressing interest to be part of the CRM Working Group are advised:

1. Meetings will not begin until September
2. The Working Group is expected to meet up to twice monthly, or as otherwise required, for a period of 6 months.
3. An indicative meetings calendar will be provided
4. Membership of the Working Group may involve limited international travel

Expressions of Interest may be made here: https://shout.com/s/Xkjx92Fu

The closing date is 5pm on Tuesday, August 6^th.