Ireland will take on Ukraine in a keynote international in Castlerea BC, Co. Roscommon, this Friday.
This is the first such international to take place in Ireland in some years, and is the culmination of a 5 day dual nation training camp, which has also included two test match series. The camp has also, kindly, been hosted by Castlerea BC.
Ukraine is returning to Ireland after taking part a High Performance Super Camp in Sport Institute Ireland, the home of the HPU, in September. The High Performance Unit has, in the last 6 months, hosted Spain, France and Turkey in camps in Dublin and Belfast.
This camp is a key preparatory event for the Paris 2024 Olympics, the 2nd Olympic World Qualifier in Bangkok and the 2024 European Championships.
High Performance Head Coach, Zauri Antia, says “This is excellent preparation for our boxers for Paris, and for the next Olympic World Qualifier in Bangkok in May and the European Championships. We learned much during our Busto Arsizio camp, and competing at home against Ukraine will help us to build on that learning, and to improve. Improvement, improvement, improvement – this is what drives Irish Boxing forward. That Ukraine is bringing their No. 1s in all Olympic weights shows the importance they place on competing against Ireland. These will be exciting events, for our boxers, for their clubs and for their families.”
Programme
W50KG Shannon Sweeney Vs. Yaroslava Marynchuk
W50KG Daina Moorhouse Vs. Tetiana Kob
M51KG Sean Mari Vs. Dmytro Zamotayev
W54KG Niamh Fay Vs. Anastasiia Kovalchuk
W57KG Michaela Walsh Vs. Anhelina Lakhno
M57KG Adam Hession Vs. Aider Abduraimov
W60KG Kellie Harrington Vs. Hanna Okhrei
M63.5KG Dean Clancy Vs. Yaroslav Khartsyz
W66KG Lisa O’Rourke Vs. Anastasiia Chernokolenko
M71KG Eugene McKeever Vs. Yurii Zakharieiev
W75KG Aoife O’Rourke Vs. Karolina Makhno
M80KG James Whelan Vs. Matvii Razhba
M92KG Jack Marley Vs. Serhii Horskov
M92+KG Martin McDonagh Vs. Dmytro Lovchynskyi
*This is a ticket, only event. Tickets are available through Castlerea Boxing Club
This camp has included additional key elements, among them a High Performance Coaching Seminar at Castlerea BC on Monday. This is the second such seminar hosted by High Performance in 2024, following the holding of an Ulster Coaching Seminar at the Ulster High Performance Unit at the University of Ulster, Jordanstown, in January. Up to 30 coaches took part in that workshop.
On Wednesday, High Performance boxers, including former World Champion, Castlerea’s Lisa O’Rourke, Paris qualified Dean Clancy, and Dean Walsh, coached a training session today, with HP Coaches, for Castlerea’s Junior squad.
The session included technical training, padwork and footwork. Over 35 children took part in two separate sessions today, delivered by HP boxers. High Performance Director, Tricia Heberle, says “Great to be able to give some of the local Castlerea kids some special memories. HPU athletes were all class in spending time coaching them. Shout out to Dean Clancy, Lisa O’Rourke and Dean Walsh”
Roscommon County Council also, this evening, hosted a civic reception for the team at Roscommon Town Hall.
This was a great honour for boxers and coaches, and a wonderful show of support by the people of Roscommon for Ireland’s most successful Olympic sport.