Aidan and Michaela Walsh
Kurt Walker and Aidan Walsh made it three wins on the bounce at the Commonwealth Games today versus Australia and Pakistan in Gold Coast, Australia.
Both men progressed to within one win of at least bronze on 4-1 and 5-0 verdicts in the bantam and welter classes.
Walker beat Jack Bowen and Walsh completed the double with victory over Gul Zaib to join his sister, Michaela, in the last-eight.
The Walsh siblings, the first brother and sister boxing pair in the history of the Games, are no strangers to occupying podium position at the Commonwealths, as Michaela won silver at the 2014 tournament in Scotland and Aidan claimed gold at the 2015 Commonwealth Youths in Samoa.
The Northern Ireland squad remains unbeaten after three bouts following Steven Donnelly’s win yesterday and today’s victories.
Donnelly and Sean McComb and Kristina O’Hara, all former Irish Elite champions, are in action tomorrow in the last 16 and quarter-finals.
Kurt Walker (red)
O’Hara meets Lynsey Holdaway of Wales in the light-fly quarter-final with at least a bronze up for grabs.
“Great win against a young, hungry and fresh fighter, I landed the heavier shots which hurt him a few times. All good and I look forward to progressing now. It’s never easy but I train hard and it will pay off,” said Rio 2016 quarter-finalist Donnelly after Friday’s victory.
2018 Commonwealth Games Gold Coast Australia
Women
April 8th
Q/Final
48kg Kristina O’Hara v Lynsey Holdaway (Wales)
April 10th
Q/Final
57kg Michaela Walsh V Keam Kenosi (Botswana)
April 11th
Q/Finals
51kg Carly McNaul v Ayisat Oriyomi (Nigeria)
60kg Alanna Nihell v Laiine Soma (Papa New Guinea) or Page Murney (England)
Men
April 6th
Last 32
75kg Steven Donnelly beat Kyran Jones (Wales) 4-1
April 7th
Last 16
56kg Kurt Walker beat Jack Bowen (Australia) 4-1
69kg Aidan Walsh beat Gul Zaib (Pakistan) 5-0
April 8th
Last 16
64kg Sean McComb v Luke McCormack (England)
75kg Steven Donnelly V Gibrilla Kamara (Sierra Leone)
April 9th
Last 16
52kg Brendan Irvine v Jabah Breedy (Barbados)
60kg James McGivern v Emanuel Ngoma (Zambia)
April 10th
Q/Finals
56kg Kurt Walker v Moroke Mokhotho (Lesotho)
69kg Aidan Walsh v Leroy Hindley (New Zealand)
91kg Dee Sullivan v Jason Whateley (Australia)
91kg+ Stephen McMonagle v Patrick Mailato (New Zealand)
Northern Ireland Squad
48kg Kristina O’Hara (St John Bosco)
51kg Carly McNaul (Holy Family)
52kg Brendan Irvine (St Paul’s)
56kg Kurt Walker (Canal)
57kg Michaela Walsh (Monkstown)
60kg James McGivern (St George’s)
60kg Alanna Nihell (Eastside/British Army)
64kg Sean McComb (Holy Trinity)
69kg Aidan Walsh (Monktown)
75kg Steven Donnelly (All Saints)
91kg Dee Sullivan (Emerald)
+91kg Stephen McMonagle (Holy Trinity)
Coaches: John Conlan, Peter Brady and Damien Kennedy