Roscommon middleweight Aoife O’Rourke and Antrim flyweight Brendan Irvine assured Ireland of at least two bronze medals at the 72nd Strandja multi-nations in Sofia, Bulgaria today.
O’Rourke beat Sennur Demir on a 4-1 split decision and Irvine followed that up with a unanimous verdict over Kosovo’s Bashkim Bejoku.
Big performances from both Irish fighters with O’Rourke, who won bronze at the 2020 Strandja tournament, back amongst the medals at Europe’s oldest multi-nation competition.
Earlier today Michaela Walsh had to settle for a top-eight finish after losing to Russia’s Karina Tazabekova in the quarter-finals in Sofia.
Walsh found the target with the majority of the cleaner punches throughout today’s encounter but the judges leaned toward the opposition on a 3-2 split decision.
One judge scored the fight 30-27 to Walsh, along with a 29-28 score. Three judges scored it 29-28 to Tazabekova who is now guaranteed at least bronze.
Meanwhile, the semi-finals will be decided tomorrow with the finals pencilled in for Saturday.
Strandja Multi-Nations Sofia, Bulgaria
February 22nd
Last 16 and 32
57kg Michaela Walsh (Ireland) beat Wildad Bertal (Mauritius) 4-1
60kg Kellie Harrington (Ireland) beat Aneta Rygielska (Poland) 5-0
63kg George Bates (Ireland) lost to Aadkhuja Muydunkujaev (Uzbekistan) 0-5
91kg Kiril Afanasev (Ireland) lost to Mujahit Ilyas (Turkey) 1-4
February 23rd
Last 16
51kg Niamh Earley (Ireland) lost to Wassila Likhardiri (France) 0-5
81kg Emmet Brennan (Ireland) lost to Stephan Hrekul (Ukraine) 0-5
75kg Aofie O’Rourke (Ireland) beat Dobromiro Georgieve (Bulgaria) RSC2
57kg Michaela Walsh (Ireland) beat Yodgoroy Miraeva (Uzbekistan) 5-0
February 24
Last 16
60kg Kellie Harrington (Ireland) lost to Nune Asatarian (Russia) 1-4
91+kg Gytis Lisinskas (Ireland) lost to Singh Manjeet (India) 0-4
February 25
Q/Finals
52kg Brendan Irvine (Ireland) beat Bashkim Bejoku (Kosovo) 5-0
57kg Michaela Walsh (Ireland) lost to Karina Tazabekova (Russia) 2-3
75kg Aoife O’Rourke (Ireland) beat Sennur Demir (Turkey) 4-1
February 26
S/Finals
52kg Brendan Irvine (Ireland) v Dan Aenov (Bulgaria)
75kg Aoife O’Rourke (Ireland) v Naoimi Graham (USA)
Irish squad
51kg Niamh Earley (Ryston BC)
52kg Brendan Irvine (St Paul’s BC) (Bronze at least)
57kg Michaela Walsh (Monkstown BC)
60kg Kellie Harrington (St Mary’s BC)
63kg George Bates (St Mary’s BC)
75kg Aoife O’Rourke (Castlerea BC) (Bronze, at least)
81kg Emmett Brennan (Dublin Docklands BC)
91kg Kirill Afanasev (Smithfield BC)
91+kg Gytis Lisinskas (Celtic Eagles BC)
Team Manager:Bernard Dunne
Coaches: Zauri Antia, John Conlan, Dmitry Dmitruk
Physio: Lorcan McGee