The schedule of boxing for the 2nd Olympic Qualifier in Bangkok, Thailand, has been published.
Boxers Daina Moorehouse (50kg), Jennifer Lehane (54kg), Grainne Walsh (66kg) Sean Mari (51kg), Aidan Walsh (71kg), Kelyn Cassidy (80kg), and Martin McDonagh (92+kg) will vie to book their tickets to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at this tournament, which is the last opportunity to qualify.
The maximum team size any federation may qualify for an Olympic Games is 13. Six Team Ireland boxers have already qualified: reigning Olympic lightweight champ, Kellie Harrington, and now double Olympians 57kg Michaela Walsh and Aoife O’Rourke. 57kg Jude Gallagher booked his ticket to Paris at the 1st Olympic World Qualifier. 63.5kg Dean Clancy and heavyweight, Jack Marley, qualified at the 2023 European Games.
The Paris Boxing Unit has confirmed that more boxers have entered the 2nd Olympic World Qualifier than its counterpart in Milan, to which 602 boxers were registered. As with the 1st Olympic World Qualifier in March, boxers will contest to quota; meaning, they will cease to box at a qualification bout. There will be no semi-finals or finals, and no medals bestowed. In5 of the weights Ireland is contesting in Bangkok (50kg, 54kg, 66kg, 51kg and 92+kg), 4 Paris quota places are available. In Men’s 71kg, 5 quota places are available, and there are 3 in Men’s 80kg – which means the de-facto bronze medalists will box off for the final quota place in that weight.
Schedule
The draw will take place on Thursday, May 23rd, at 11:30am, Irish time. The indicative schedule indicates that three Irish boxers will likely be in action on the opening day of the tournament: 54kg Jennifer Lehane, 71kg Aidan Walsh and 92+kg Martin McDonagh, unless they are accorded byes in Thursday’s draw.
2 boxers, 51kg Sean Mari and 80kg Kelyn Cassidy, are potentially up on Saturday.
Boxing begins on Friday, May 24th, at 7am, Irish time.
A total of 248 boxers will compete in boxing at Paris 2024, with 124 women and 124 men taking part. France, as host nation, have secured six automatic quotas for the Games – three for men and three for women, while there will also be nine Universality Places awarded, with five for women and four for men.
Team
50kg Daina Moorehouse, Enniskerry BC, Co. Wicklow
54kg Jennifer Lehane, DCU Boxing Club, Dublin
66kg Grainne Walsh, St. Mary’s BC, Tallaght, Dublin
51kg Sean Mari, Monkstown BC, Dublin
71kg Aidan Walsh, Holy Family Golden Gloves BC, Belfast
80kg Kelyn Cassidy, Saviour’s Crystal, Waterford.
92+kg Martin McDonagh, Galway Boxing Club.