Team Ireland Boxing Team have departed today, bound for the City of Lights and the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

This is an historic team: Ireland’s largest in 64 years; the third largest at the Games, and among only three teams to have qualified women in all available weights. The team includes 4 boxers who will become double Olympians as soon as they set foot on the field of play at the North Paris Arena: defending lightweight champion, Kellie Harrington, Tokyo bronze medalist, Aidan Walsh, and Tokyo Olympians Michaela Walsh and Aoife O’Rourke.

High Performance Director, and Paris Team Leader, Tricia Heberle says “We set off this morning on a journey very few athletes win the privilege of taking. Just 114 other Irish Boxers over the last 100 years have boxed Olympic bouts. This is a special team, in an extraordinary sport, undertaking an immense challenge. Its right to recognize the importance of this moment, not just to the athletes and staff, but to the Irish Boxing Family, and as Ireland’s most successful Olympic sport, the Olympic Federation of Ireland and the broader Irish High Performance system. We have prepared well and are ready for Paris and the quest to do our best.” 

Head Coach, Zauri Antia, says “They are well prepared, they are focused on their key performance goals and they are ready to contest at the highest possible level. Once again, I would like to congratulate the clubs, club coaches and families of all Paris 2024 boxers. Once an Olympian, always an Olympian – and achieving that title takes thousands of hours of work by the boxer, but also the endless support of their clubs and families. They should be very proud”

The Road to Paris

Team Ireland boxers’ preparations for Paris, have included the European Games (QE), the 1^st and 2^nd Olympic Qualifiers, Usti nad Labem Grand Prix the 2024 European Championships and the 74^th & 75^th Strandja Memorial Tournaments. The team has attended 3 multi-nations sparring camps in Assisi and a camp in Hua Hin, Thailand, a multi-nations camp at the Germany Olympic Training Centre, Kienbaum, as well as the HPU created Heat Acclimatisation camp in Tenerife in December 2024.

High Performance, in order to ensure the best possible training environment for Team Ireland boxers has, since September, hosted a Super Camp with Ukraine, a Women’s Camp with Spain, France and Turkey, a Men’s Camp with Spain and Ulster, and a dual-nations camp and international with Ukraine.

These key preparation events are underpinned by excellence in technical boxing learning in the Daily Training Environment in the Sport Ireland Institute, driven by Head Coach, Zauri Antia, and Coaches Damian Kennedy, James Doyle, Lynne McEnery and Eoin Pluck. Overseen by High Performance Director, Tricia Heberle, boxers also have access to world class Sport Ireland and Sport NI Sport Science Practitioners in the fields of Strength and Conditioning, Nutrition, Performance Analysis, Physiology, Physiotherapy and Sport Psychology.

Schedule

The draw for the Games takes place on the afternoon of Thursday, July 25th. It will not be broadcast, but drawsheets will be available here on that evening.

The Olympics opening ceremony takes place on July 26th, and boxing begins at 2.30pm, Irish time, on July 27th. The schedule of boxing, including which weights will box on which day, is available here. Dependent upon the draw, Team Ireland’s 54kg Jennifer Lehane, 60kg Kellie Harrington and 63.5kg Dean Clancy may box in the opening two sessions.

The complete entry list for the Paris 2024 Games is:

Watch

Discovery+ is the official streaming partner of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, and all bouts will be streamed here – anyone wishing the watch any streamed sport at the Games will need to create a free account to do so.

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

Just six days now until the first bell at Paris 2024 – and the advent of Ireland’s Olympic boxing centenary.

Today, we celebrate the team of the Sydney Olympics; Ireland’s smallest team. Michael Roche was the only Irish boxer at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney.

The Sunnyside BC light-middleweight was the third athlete from the famed Cork club after Kieran Joyce and Paul Buttimer to qualify for an Olympiad.

Roche booked his ticket for the Sydney Games at the 2000 Chemistry Cup in Halle, Germany, the stylish Munster technician taking home a silver medal into the bargain.

Roche, a five-time Irish Elite champion, beat Fawis Nassir of Denmark and Josef Frecer Czechoslovakia to reach the 71kg final at the Halle tournament, which was also acting as a direct route to Sydney.

But he then lost to Hungary’s Karoly Balzay in the final on a walkover because of a back injury. However, his Olympic ticket was in the post.

Firat Karagollu awaited in Sydney and the Turk earned a 17-4 decision to end Roche’s and Ireland’s interest in the 74-tournament.

Karagollu went out in the next phase to Frederic Esther of France. Nicholas Cruz worked Ireland’s corner in Sydney and Martin Power was Irish team manager.

“The Olympics was a fantastic experience and while I was obviously disappointed not to have progressed in Sydney I was very proud to represent my country at the Olympic Games,” said Roche, who was honoured this year for his outstanding contribution to the sport at a Cork Boxing Breakfast.

Cuba topped the medals table at the 2000 Games.

Check out Sydney’s Opening Ceremony:

The 2000 Summer Olympic programme featured 300 events in 28 sports.

Triathlon and taekwondo were two new additions to the Olympic programme. Susanthika Jayasinghe became the first Sri Lankan woman to win a medal, claiming bronze in the 200m, whilst Birgit Fischer earned two gold medals in kayaking to become the first woman in any sport to win medals 20 years apart. Women also took part in weightlifting and the modern pentathlon for the very first time.

Comeback Kings

There were some wonderful comebacks in Sydney, but none more so than the U.S. softball team. After losing three games in a row, they regrouped and won gold in stirring fashion by beating each of the teams they had previously lost to.

Memorable Champions

Ryoko Tamura had lost in the judo 48kg final in both Barcelona and Atlanta, but came back to win the gold medal in Sydney. Steven Redgrave gained sporting immortality by becoming the first rower to win gold medals at five consecutive Olympic Games. In the 400m freestyle, 17-year-old Australian swimmer Ian Thorpe won gold by breaking his own world record in front of a jubilant home crowd.

To mark the opening day of boxing in the Paris 2024 Olympics on July 27th, IABA is providing a series of workshops, on safeguarding, athlete injury, coaching and S&C at the National Stadium

Members of successfully affiliated clubs are welcome to book to attend 1 workshop per session.  Booking is on a first come, first served basis, and booking will close once the maximum participant number for each course has been reached.

IABA will make contact will all those who have successfully booked a place.

Morning Session

9am: Safeguarding One Workshop

Maximum participants: 30

Duration: 3 hours

Book here: https://shout.com/s/8wEEmfdX

Afternoon Session:

1pm: Athlete Injury & Awareness Workshop

Maximum participants: 30

Duration: 90 minutes

Book here: https://shout.com/s/9HYzZRZI

1pm: Coaching Teenage Girls Workshop

Maximum participants: 30

Duration: 90 minutes

Book here: https://shout.com/s/FMFcAdKv

Evening Session

5pm: Strength & Condition for Female Combat Athletes Workshop

Maximum participants: 30

Duration: 90 minutes

Book here: https://shout.com/s/plaqwcNL

5pm: Coaching Teenage Girls Workshop

Maximum participants: 30

Duration: 90 minutes

Book here: https://shout.com/s/r7ZdNU3W

It’s just 7 days until the first bell of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games – which marks the 100th anniversary of Irish Olympic Boxing. We’re celebrating each and every team which boxed under the 5 rings of the Olympics, and today, we honour the boxers of Atlanta, 1996.

Holy Trinity BC in Belfast were within touching distance of at least two bronze medals on August 30th/31st at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta. Damaen Kelly, a bronze medal winner at the 1993 AIBA World Championships in Finland and a bronze medal winner at the 1996 European Championships in Denmark, which qualified him for Atlanta, and Brian Magee, a silver medal winner at the 1998 European Championships in Belarus, both reached the quarter-finals in the USA, but both lost out one bout away from securing a semi-final spot and at least a bronze medal each. Kelly fought his way past Bulgarian flyweight Julian Strogov and Hussein Hussein of Algeria only to lose 13-6 to Bolat Dzumadilov of Kazakhstan. Dzumadilov reached the 51kg final in Atlanta but was edged out on a 12-11 decision to Cuba’s Maikro Romero for the gold.

Magee, trading leather at middleweight, ousted Canada’s Randall Thompson and Betrand Tetsia of the Cameroon before losing (15-9) to Mohamed Bahari of Algeria. Bahari had to settle for bronze after a countback reversal to eventual silver medalist Malik Beyleroglu (Turkey) in the last-four.

Galway’s Francis Barrett, who was selected as Irish flag bearer for the opening ceremony at in Atlanta, recorded a win over Zely Ferreria on his Olympic debut, but went  out of the tournament to Fethi Missaoui of Tunisia on an 18-6 verdict. Missaoui reached the semi-finals, guaranteeing himself bronze.

St Saviours OBA heavyweight Cathal O’Grady went out to New Zealand’s Garth Da Silva – who in turn was beaten by Sergey Dychkov of Belarus – in his first contest.

Cuba once again finished on top of the medals table at an Olympiad after securing four gold medals.

On January 1st, 1996, AIBA introduced a Competition Record Book. It was made compulsuary for all boxers to produce same to compete in AIBA competition. The upper age limit was raised from 32 to 34 years on the back of improved safety measures introduced to protect boxers’ health.

Team Ireland, Atlanta 1996

Flyweight: Damaen Kelly (Holy Trinity)

Beat Julian Strogov (Bulgaria) 12-11

Beat Hussein Hussein (Australia) 27-20

Lost to Bolat Dzumadilov (Kazakhstan) 6-13

Light-welterweight: Francis Barrett (Olympic)

Beat Zely Ferreria (Brazil) 32-7

Lost to Fethi Missaoui (Tunisia) 6-18

Middleweight: Brian Magee (Holy Trinity)

Beat Randall Thompson (Canada)  13-5

Beat Bertrand Tetsia (Cameroon) 11-6

Lost Mohamed Bahari (Algeria) 9-15

Heavyweight : Cathal O’Grady (St Saviours)

Lost to Garth Da Silva (New Zealand) TKO1

Check out Atlanta 1996:

The 1996 Summer Olympic programme featured 271 events in 26 sports. The Games were given a dramatic and emotional start when the cauldron was lit by sporting legend Muhammad Ali. Next to the site of the main competition venues was an open area known as the Centennial Olympic Park. The park appeared to be part of the Games, but was not actually a part of the Olympic security system. In the early hours of 27 July, tragedy struck when a terrorist bomb exploded in the Centennial Olympic Park, resulting in the death of two people and the injury of 110 more.

Olympic Firsts

For the first time in Olympic history, all 197 recognised National Olympic Committees were represented at the Games. Beach volleyball, mountain biking, lightweight rowing and women’s football made their first appearance and sailor Hubert Raudaschl (AUT) became the first person ever to compete in nine Olympic Games. Before he began his streak in 1964, he was a reserve in 1960.

Memorable Champions

In track and field, Marie-José Pérec, the French athlete, won the 200m and successfully defended her 400m title. She became the most successful French female athlete of all time and the first athlete to win the 400m twice. Not to be outdone, Michael Johnson of the U.S. became the first man in Olympic history to run and win both the 200m and 400m. His victory over 200m in 19.32 seconds established a new world record.

After four days of boxing at the National Stadium, 24 National U22 champions have been crowned.

Congratulations to all finalists, their clubs and families.

1. 48kg    Carleigh Irving (Oakleaf) beat Georgia McGovern (Setanta), 3-2
2. 48kg   Louis Rooney (Star) W/O
3. 50kg    Nicole Buckley (DCU Athletic) beat Amber Byrne (Arklow), 4-1
4. 51kg    Clepson de Santos (Holy Trinity) W/O
5. 52kg    Nicole Clyde (Antrim) beat Chantelle Robinson (Saviours Crystal) AB2
6. 54kg    Robyn Kelly (Ballynacargy) W/O
7. 54kg    Patsy Joyce (Olympic L) beat Mark Pabilona (Monkstown D), 5-0
8. 57kg    Niamh Fay (Ballyboughal) beat Natalia Fasciszewska (Castlebar), 5-0
9. 57kg    Gavin Ryan (Ratoath) beat Anton Genocky (Dublin Docklands), RSC3
10. 60kg    Rebecca Kavanagh (Mulhuddart) beat Caprice Coiley (Clonard), 4-1
11. 60kg    Lee McEvoy (Avona) beat Karl Sheridan (Cherry Orchard), 5-0
12. 63kg    Linda Desmond (Rylane) beat Gabrielle Mongan (Whitechurch), 5-0
13. 63.5kg Roy Colgan (Avona) beat Joshua Tumana (Dublin Docklands), 5-0
14. 66kg   Kaci Rock (Enniskerry) beat Laura Moran (St Annes), 4-1
15. 67kg   Luke Hall (Olympic L) beat Malo Davis (Monkstown D), 5-0
16. 70kg   Lisa O’Rourke (Castlerea), W/O
17. 71kg   Bobbi Flood (Cabra) beat Darragh Gilroy (Fr Flanagans), RSCI1
18. 75kg   Bethany Doocey (Castlebar) beat Winnie C McDonagh (Neilstown), 5-0
19. 75kg    Josh Olaniyan (Jobstown) beat Eoghan Quinn (St Johns U), 5-0
20. 80kg   James Whelan (Dublin Docklands) beat Ryan Collins Murphy (St Monicas), 5-0
21. 81+kg Cliona D’Arcy (Tobar Pheadair) beat Shauna Buckley (Rylane), 5-0
22. 86kg    Kian Hedderman (St Francis) beat Sean Trant (Monkstown D), 5-0
23. 92kg    Charlie Ward (Monivea) beat Phelim Magan (Midleton), 4-1
24. 92+kg Martin C McDonagh (Galway) beat Godstime Ide (Crumlin), 5-0