Tough day at the office for Team Ireland European U22 Championship boxers

It was a difficult day at the office for Team Ireland boxers contesting the European U22 Championships in Budva, Montenegro.

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.

63.5kg Shamie McDonagh contested his second prelim bout of the tournament, meeting Georgia’s Lasha Gangnidze in Bout 4 of Ring B’s Afternoon Session. The Georgian came away with the 5-0 decision, the the bout was scored: 29:28; 29:28; 29:28; 29:28; 27:30. 80kg James Whelan, Dublin Docklands meets IBA Germany’s Danil Dadev 6 bouts later, in the same ring and session. This was another 5-0 decision, this time for the IBA Germany athlete. Judges scored the bout 27:30; 28:29; 27:30; 27:30; 28: 29.

James’ clubmate, 67kg Gareth Dowling, boxed Armenia’s Ararat Hartyunyan in Bout 8 of Ring A’s Evening Session – it was a very tight bout, resulting in a 3-2 split decision in favour of the Armenian boxer. The bout finished 29:28; 28:29; 28:29; 28:29; 29:28. While 60kg Rhys Owens, Erne BC also contested his second bout today, meeting Azerbaijan’s Maksud Khasmetov in Bout 4 of Ring B’s Evening Session. Rhys gave a standing count in the 3rd round, by the judges found in favour of the Azerbaijani boxer, 29: 28; 29:28; 29:28; 29:28; 29:28.

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.

Day Four

Five of Team Ireland’s women’s team boxers are in action on Wednesday. 48kg Nicole Buckley, St Carthages BC, is in action first, in the opening bout of Ring A’s Afternoon Session. She meets Turkey’s Nurselen Yagettekin. 70kg Evelyn Igharo, Clann Naofa BC also contests against Turkish opposition, in the form of Yaren Duztas, in bout 9 of the same ring and session.

In Ring B’s Afternoon Session, 50kg Chantelle Robinson, Saviours Crystal BC boxes Poland’s Natalia Dominik Kuczewska in bout 3. In Bout 11 75kg Bethany Doocey, Castlebar BC also meets Poland, in Oliwia Oborek. In Ring B’s Evening Session, 57kg Robin Kelly, Ballynacargy BC is the third Team Ireland boxer of the day to contest against Poland, in ROGALINSKA Wiktoria Beata Rognalinska.

Day Four programme

Boxing 2023 – EUBC U22 European Boxing Championships Day Four Programme