Cork welter Christina Desmond cruised into the quarter-finals of the European Women’s Elite Championships in Madrid today.

The Rebel southpaw, appropriately fighting out of the red corner, convincingly beat Leonie Van Leeuwen of the Netherlands on a unanimous decision.

The final scores read 30-24,30-24,30-24,30-25,30-26 to Desmond with the brave and game Leeuwen soaking up a lot of backhands in all three rounds and taking a standing count off a combination in the third.

A middleweight bronze medal winner at the 2016 Europeans, Desmond, a former World Youth finalist, will now meet Russian No. 2 seed Darima Sandakova in the last eight tomorrow with at least bronze up for grabs.

Siberia-born Sandakova, a bronze medallist at the European Games in Minsk earlier this summer, beat Hungary’s Vivien Budai this afternoon.

The Russian fighter, switching stances occasionally, scored a unanimous decision Budai but it was by no means all one way traffic.

Desmond is the only Irish boxer in action today.

She’ll be back between the ropes on Wednesday with Amy Broadhurst in a double-header against Russia.

Aoife O’Rourke, who is guaranteed at least bronze in Madrid, is through to Friday’s semi-finals versus Russia.

Irish team manager JP Kinsella was impressed with Desmond’s performance.

“I thought Christina boxed incredibly well in all threee rounds and she’ll take a lot of confidence from the win and the manner of the win going into the quarter-finals,” he said.

 

European Women’s Elite Championships Madrid, Spain August 22/31

August 27

Last 16

69kg Christina Desmond (Ireland) beat Leonie Anna Van Leeuwen (Netherlands) 5-0

August 28

Q/Finals

60kg Amy Broadhurst (Ireland) v Anastasia Belokova (Russia)

69kg Christina Desmond (Ireland) v Darima Sandakova (Russia)

August 30

S/Final

75kg Aoife O’Rourke (Ireland) v Anastasia Shamonova (Russia)

Results

August 26

Last 16

51kg Ceire Smith (Ireland) lost to Naz Buse Cakiroglu (Turkey) 0-5

60kg Amy Broadhurst (Ireland) beat Dominika Ciklova (Czech Republic) 5-0

Q/Final

75kg Aoife O’Rourke (Ireland) beat Tetiana Petrovich (Ukraine) 5-0

August 25

Last 32

51kg Ceire Smith (Ireland) beat Krisztina Beri (Hungary) RSC2

Irish squad

51kg: Ceire Smith (Cavan/Virginia)
60kg: Amy Broadhurst (Dealgan)
69kg: Christina Desmond (Fr Horgan’s)
75kg: Aoife O’Rourke (Castlerea) (Bronze, at least)

Team manager: JP Kinsella

Coaches: Zaur Antia and Damain Kennedy

Physio; David Cooke

 

 

 

 

IRELAND’S World Elite Men’s squad completed their first full day of training at the German Olympic Centre in Kienbaum yesterday.

The panel, under coaches John Conlan and Eoin Pluck, are training with the host nation, Belgium, Finland, Netherlands, Thailand and a top Cuban side featuring several Olympic champions.

Team Ireland will train at the Olympic Centre until September 5 and depart directly for Russia ahead of the opening bell for the World Elites in Ekaterinburg.

Adam Hession and Kieran Molloy are also training in Kienbaum.

The 20th edition of the World Elites since Havana 1974 runs from September 9 to September 21 across the eight Olympic weights for men.

Seeding will apply at the September 9 draw.

Click here for further information.

 

 

20th World Elite Men’s Championships Ekaterinburg, Russia September 7/21

 

Irish squad

52kg: Regan Buckley (St Teresa’s)
57kg: Kurt Walker (Canal)
63kg: Wayne Kelly (Portlaoise)
69kg: Aidan Walsh (Monkstown)
75kg: Michael Nevin (Portlaoise)
81kg: Kane Tucker (Emerald)
91kg: Kiril Afanasev (Smithfield)

Christina Desmond will be in action at approximately 4pm (Irish time) at the European Women’s Elites in Madrid tomorrow.

The Cork southpaw, a bronze medal winner at the 2016 European Elites, meets Dutch welter Anna Van Leeuwen in the last 16.

Ireland experienced mixed fortunes today after Aoife O’Rourke and Amy Broadhurst posted impressive unanimous decisions but Ceire Smith was unlucky to bow out to the Turkish No. 1 seed in the flyweight class.

O’Rourke’s win guaranteed Ireland at least bronze and maintains Ireland’s sequence of having medalled at every European Women’s Elite Championships since Katie Taylor won gold in 2005.

Click here for Wednesday’s schedule and here for today’s results.

 

European Women’s Elite Championships Madrid, Spain August 22/31

August 27

Last 16

69kg Christina Desmond (Ireland) v Anna Van Leeuwen (Netherlands)

August 28

Q/Final

60kg Amy Broadhurst (Ireland) v Anastasia Belokova (Russia)

August 30

S/Final

75kg Aoife O’Rourke (Ireland) v Anastasia Shamonova (Russia)

Results

August 26

Last 16

51kg Ceire Smith (Ireland) lost to Naz Buse Cakiroglu (Turkey) 0-5

60kg Amy Broadhurst (Ireland) beat Dominika Ciklova (Czech Republic) 5-0

Q/Final

75kg Aoife O’Rourke (Ireland) beat Tetiana Petrovich (Ukraine) 5-0

August 25

Last 32

51kg Ceire Smith (Ireland) beat Krisztina Beri (Hungary) RSC2

 

Irish squad

51kg: Ceire Smith (Cavan/Virginia)
60kg: Amy Broadhurst (Dealgan)
69kg: Christina Desmond (Fr Horgan’s)
75kg: Aoife O’Rourke (Castlerea) (Bronze, at least)

Team manager: JP Kinsella

Coaches: Zaur Antia and Damain Kennedy

Physio; David Cooke

Roscommon middleweight Aoife O’Rourke, pictured above and directly below celebrating victory today, is guaranteed at least bronze at the European Women’s Elite Championships in Madrid.

The Castlerea BC stand out beat Ukraine’s Tetiana Petrovich on a unanimous decision this afternoon.

Petrovich received a public warning for holding in the second round but the points deduction only contributed marginally to O’Rourke’s  victory as she ran out an emphatic 30-24,30-24,30-25,30-25,30-25 winner after repeatedly finding the target with head shots.

She’ll now meet Russia’s Youth Olympic champion Anastasia Shamonova for a place in the finals on Friday.

O’Rourke’s podium finish, meantime, guarantees Irish boxing the 11th medal at the European Women’s Elites since the inaugural tournament in 2002.

Earlier today, Amy Broadhurst advanced to the last eight after posting a unanimous decision over Czech lightweight Dominika Ciklova in Madrid.

The Dundalk southpaw and World Elite quarter-finalist will now meet Russia’s 2014 World Elite champion Anastasia Belikova, the No. 3 seed in the Spanish capital, for at least bronze in the quarter-finals on Wednesday.

Finland’s No. 1 seed and current European Elite lightweight champion Mira Potkonen, who beat Katie Taylor at Rio 2016, edged England’s Paige Murney on a split decision today to book her ticket into the last eight.

Broadhurst picked off more than enough clean shots against the constant marauding of Ciklova to earn a 30-37,30-27,30-27,30-27, 29-28 verdict from a competitive 60kg encounter.

The pick of the Broadhurst’s punches were a body shot in the opening round and a neat uppercut as the battling Czech orthodox was advancing in the third.

Ceire Smith bowed out to Turkey’s Naz Buse Cakiroglu, the No. 1 seed in the flyweight class in Madrid, this evening.

But the Cavan BC lefty asked some serious questions of the current European Games champion in a tactical all-southpaw battle.

Smith repeatedly walked down her counter-punching opponent to deliver big shots off both hands but the judges leaned a very generous 30-27,30-27,30-27,29-27,29-28 to the Trabzon native and 2018 European Elite finalist.

Cork welterweight Christina Desmond will be between the ropes tomorrow.

 

 

European Women’s Elite Championships Madrid, Spain August 22/31

August 26

Last 16

51kg Ceire Smith (Ireland) lost to Naz Buse Cakiroglu (Turkey) 0-5

60kg Amy Broadhurst (Ireland) beat Dominika Ciklova (Czech Republic) 5-0

Q/Final

75kg Aoife O’Rourke (Ireland) beat Tetiana Petrovich (Ukraine) 5-0

August 27

Last 16

69kg Christina Desmond (Ireland) v Anna Van Leeuwen (Netherlands)

August 28

Q/Final

60kg Amy Broadhurst (Ireland) v Anastasia Belokova (Russia)

August 30

S/Final

75kg Aoife O’Rourke (Ireland) v Anastasia Shamonova (Russia)

August 25

Last 32

51kg Ceire Smith (Ireland) beat Krisztina Beri (Hungary) RSC2

Irish squad

51kg: Ceire Smith (Cavan/Virginia)
60kg: Amy Broadhurst (Dealgan)
69kg: Christina Desmond (Fr Horgan’s)
75kg: Aoife O’Rourke (Castlerea) (Bronze, at least)

Team manager: JP Kinsella

Coaches: Zaur Antia and Damian Kennedy

Physio; David Cooke

 

NATIONAL SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS

All boxers to Pre inter by Monday the 14^th October @5pm sharp. Pre- entry forms and medical books and fee must be received by closing date and time to be entered into the Draw which will take place @2pm on 15^th October. No late entries will be accepted.

Boxing

• Friday 18^th October
• Saturday 19^th October
• Friday 25^th October
• Saturday 26^th October
• Friday 1^st November
• Saturday 2^nd November

All boxers will weigh-in daily and have a medical exam performed on their first day to box.

 

NATIONAL ELITE CHAMPIONSHIPS

All boxers to Pre inter by Wednesday the 13^th November @5pm sharp. Pre- entry forms and medical books and fee must be received by closing date and time to be entered into the Draw which will take place @2pm on Thursday 14^th November. No late entries will be accepted.

Boxing

• Monday 18^th November @7pm
• Tuesday 19^th November @7pm
• Wednesday 20^th November @7pm
• Thursday 21^st November @7pm

Finals Friday 22^nd November @ 6.30pm sharp

All boxers will weigh-in daily and have a medical exam performed on their first day to box.

(The IABA are running the National Elites for a second time this year to facilitate Ireland’s boxers going into the qualifiers for Tokyo 2020 at a venue and exact date to be confirmed in London next Spring). 

Irish boxing is proudly sponsored by Liffey Crane, Principal and O’Neills sportswear.