Michael O’Reilly and Dean Gardiner are in action at the World Olympic qualifiers in Baku, Azerbaijan today.
The Laois and Tipperary pair are between the ropes in the evening session which begins at 4pm (Irish time). Click here for today’s schedule.
O’Reilly meet Mongolian middleweight Shinebayor Narmandakh in the last 16 of the tournament in the 7th fight on the program and Gardiner faces Ukranianian super-heavy Viktor Vychryst in the quarter-finals in the 13th bout on the roster.
The top five middleweights in Baku qualify for Rio. Super-heavyweights must win gold as there is just one Olympic place available in the 91kg+ weight.
Irish Draw Baku Olympic qualifiers
June 18th
(Last 32)
91kg Darren O’Neill (Ireland) beat Mustafa El Molla (Sweden) 3-0
June 19th
(Last 32)
64kg Dean Walsh (Ireland) lost to Smetov Ismetov (Bulgaria) 0-3
(Last 16)
91kg+ Dean Gardiner beat Satish Kumar (India) 2-1
June 20th
75kg Michael O’Reilly (Ireland) beat Vitalia Bandarenka (Belarus) 3-0 (last 32)
91kg Darren O’Neill (Ireland) lost to Wesley Apochi (Nigeria) 0-3 (last 16)
June 21st
Last 16
75kg Michael O’Reilly (Ireland) v Shinebayor Narmandakh (Mongolia)
Q/Finals
91+kg Dean Gardiner (Ireland) v Viktor Vychryst (Ukraine)
Irish Squad
64kg (Light-welter) Dean Walsh (St Josephs/St Ibars)
75kg (Middleweight) Michael O’Reilly (Portlaoise)
91kg (Heavyweight) Darren O’Neill (Paulstown)
91kg + (Super-heavy) Dean Gardiner (Clonmel)
Team manager Joe Hennigan
Coaches: Zaur Antia and Eddie Bolger
Performance Analyst Alan Swanton
Sports Psychologist: Gerry Hussey