Two opening day wins for Team Ireland the the European Games, in the round of 32.
Olympic lightweight champion, Kellie Harrington, opened proceedings against Serbia’s Miroslava Jedinakova. The boxer in blue had a significant height advantage over the Team Ireland boxer, who was more tactically astute. Kellie came away with a 4-1 win, the judges scoring the bout 28: 29, 30: 27, 30: 37, 30:27. 30:27. Kellie says ‘Good starting point for the tournament for me today. She’s rangy and has an awkward style but I’m happy with how I performed. I’m always looking forward and thinking about my next bout, so now I’m focused on my last 16 bout on Monday.”
Next up was Commonwealth Games champion, 57kg Jude Gallagher. Jude set a very high tempo in the first round, which he claimed, unanimously over Bulgaria’s Javier Ibanez Diaz. Despite valiant performances in rounds 2 and 3, the 4-1 decision went the Bulgarian’s way: 29-28, 28:29, 28:29, 28:29, 28:29. Jude says “I am the Commonwealth champ, but this is my first tournament at this level. I set a high tempo in the first round and won that 5-0 and I thought I had done enough in rounds 2 and 3. A lot of positives from today’s bout, and a lot of great learning moments and experiences – looking forward to building on from my European Games experience.”
63.5kg Dean Clancy met Austria’s Arsen Chabyan. Dean was decisive and assured, throughout, and claimed a unanimous decision win from the judges: 28:29, 27: 30, 28: 29, 26: 30, 28: 29. Dean says “I’m a Youth Olympian, and am laser-focused on booking my place at Paris. Today’s bout was a big one – the first one of the tournament for me, and it was important that I showed the judges what I can do, and my style of boxing. I’m back in the ring again on Sunday, and I’ll be gunning for a place in the Quarter Finals”
All results of all bouts, including judges scores by round, are available here
Head Coach, Zauri Antia, says “Very good opening day performances from Kellie, Jude and Dean. At this level of competition, there are no easy bouts. Every minute of every round is a technical and tactical challenge, and every minute of every round is a learning experience. Kellie, Jude and Dean are better boxers for their bouts today”.
4 more Team Ireland boxers will be in action on the second day of the tournament. In the afternoon session, 54kg Jennifer Lehane boxes Serbia’s Sara Cirkovic in bout 2, 57kg Michaela Walsh meets Olga Pavlina Papadatou of Greece in bout 3. In bout 8, 80kg Kelyn Cassidy steps between the ropes against Mindaugas Gedminas of Norway. In the evening session, 66kg Amy Broadhurst meets Milena Matovic of Serbia.
Watch
Bouts will be streamed here
Programme – Preliminaries, Day Two
Draws, for all Team Ireland boxers, are available here