Team Ireland secure two more medals at European U22 Championships

Team Ireland’s medal haul at the European U22 Championships in Budva, Montenegro, has now risen to three.

81kg Dearbhla Tinnelly, Clann Naofa BC was already assured of a bronze medal and now, so too are 54kg Robin Kelly, Ballynacargy BC and 70kg Evelyn Igharo, Clann Naofa BC

Thirty-four teams with 299 boxers (202 men and 97 women) are in Budva. The participating teams are Albania, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, France, Georgia, IBA-Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Kosovo, Malta, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Turkey and IBA-Neutral.

The host city, Budva, has a special resonance for Team Ireland – it was the location of the 2022 Women’s European Championship, where the team came home with 3 gold, a silver and 2 bronze medals, topping the table in the process.

Team Ireland had a very successful campaign at the 2022 European U22 Championships in Porec, Croatia, in March of that year, returning with 3 gold medals, 1 silver and 3 bronze medals. The golds were claimed by heavyweight and now Paris 2024 Olympian, Jack Marley, Lisa O’Rourke who would claim a World gold just 2 months later, and 54kg Niamh Fay.

48kg Nicole Buckley, St Carthages BC was the first Team Ireland boxer in action today. She faced Turkey’s Nurselen Yagettekin. The 5-0 decision went to the Turkish boxer and judges scored the bout 30:26, 30:26, 30:26, 30: 26, 30: 26. In the same ring and session, Eveln Igharo also faced-off against a Turkish boxer in her Quarter Final, in the form of Yaren Duztas, and has claimed bronze. Judges scored the bout 26:30, 27:30, 27:30, 27:30, 27:30. This is Evelyn’s second European medal – she won silver in the 2018 Women’s European Youth Championship.

In Ring B’s Afternoon Session, 50kg Chantelle Robinson, Saviours Crystal BC boxed Poland’s Natalia Dominik Kuczewska and exits at the Quarter Final stage, following a 4-1 decision in favour of her opponent. Judges scored the bout 30:27; 30:26; 28:29; 29:28; 30:27. In Bout 11 75kg Bethany Doocey, Castlebar BC also met Polish opposition, in Oliwia Oborek. Bethany won the first round 5-0 – but the bout went to Oborek by the same score, a UD. The finals tallies – 27:29; 28:29; 28:29; 28:29; 28:29

In Ring B’s Evening Session, 54kg Robin Kelly, Ballynacargy BC contested against day to contest against Poland, in Wiktoria Beata Rognalinska. Robin claimed a decisive 4-0 victory: 28:28; 30:26; 30:26; 29:27; 30:26

Day Five

Two Team Ireland boxers are in quarter final action on Thursday. 48kg Padraig Downey, St. John Bosco BC, Antrim makes his tournament debut against Azerbaijan’s Tural Sariyev in Bout Two of Ring A’s Afternoon Session, while 57kg Donagh Keary, Rathfriland BC returns for his second bout of the tournament, also against Azerbaijan. He meets in Azrak Babirov in Bout 2 in Ring B’s Evening Session.

Day Five programme:

Boxing 2023 – EUBC U22 European Boxing Championships Day 5 programme