United they stand. Team Ireland in Ukraine this evening
Team Ireland arrived in Kharkiv, Ukraine this evening for their final training camp ahead of the opening bell for the European Championships in mid-June.
The Championships officially begin on June 14th.
Boxing commences on June 16th at the Lokomotyv Sports Palace in Kharkiv.
Two-time European Elite champion Joe Ward in Ukraine
The competition, the 42nd edition of the event since 1925, is the sole qualifier for the World Elite Championships in Hamburg, Germany in August/September.
The top eight boxers (the quarter-finalists) in each weight in Kharkiv qualify for Hamburg.
“We’ve a good mixture of experience and youths coming through. We’re going to focus on each individual fight and we’ll just try to perform to the best of our capabilities. That’s the process we’re going to take out here,” said High-Performance Director Bernard Dunne.
Kharkiv is two hours ahead of Ireland.
The flyweights, welterweights and super-heavyweights are in action on Day 1 of the Championships, according to the provisional schedule.
European Elite Men’s Championships Kharkiv, Ukraine June 14th/25th
Irish squad
52kg – Flyweight – Brendan Irvine (St Pauls)
56kg – Bantamweight – Kurt Walker (Canal)
60kg – Lightweight – Patrick Mongan (Olympic)
64kg – Light-welter – Sean McComb (Holy Trinity)
69kg – Welterweight – Steven Donnelly (All Saints)
75kg – Middleweight – Emmett Brennan (Glasnevin)
81kg – Light-heavy – Joe Ward (Moate)
91kg – Heavyweight – Darren O’Neill (Paulstown)
91+kg – Super-heavy – Dean Gardiner (Clonmel)
High-Performance Director: Bernard Dunne
Team manager: Gerry O’Mahony
Head Coach: Zaur Antia
Coaches: Dmitry Dimitruc, Jimmy Payne, Eoin Pluck
Physio: Seamus Caffrey
Doctor: Jim Clover
Strength & Conditioning: John Cleary
Performance Analysis: Alan Swanton