Aidan Walsh progressed to the last 32 of the World Elites on a 4-1 split decision over Israel’s Miroslav Kapuler-Chishenko in Ekaterinburg, Russia today.
Final scores – 30-26,30-27,30-27,30-27 for Walsh and 29-29 against.
Walsh held his composure in the face of the constant maurading and aggression of the Israeli southpaw to pick off clean shots in all three rounds.
The Antrim welter soaked up a solid left in the second frame, but besides that incident, it was an impressive World Elite debut for the Monkstown BC man.
He’ll now meet England’s Pat McCormack. The Sunderland fighter, the No. 2 seed in the 69kg limit, received a bye into the last 32.
Meanwhile, Laois middleweight Michael Nevin, who has recorded one win in Ekaterinburg so far, is in against Lithuania’s Vytautas Balsys tomorrow for a place in the last 16.
Antrim’s No. 6 seed Kurt Walker and Dublin’s Kiril Afanasev are between the ropes on Sunday in Ekaterinburg in the feather and heavyweight classes.
(Images: Aidan Walsh in action today. Images courtesy of Daria Litvinova)
2019 World Elite Men’s Championships Ekaterinburg, Russia
September 13
Last 64
69kg Aidan Walsh (Ireland) beat Miroslav Kapuler-Chishenko (Israel) 4-1
September 14
Last 32
75kg Michael Nevin (Ireland) v Vytautas Balsys (Lithuania)
September 15
Last 32
57kg Kurt Walker v David Avila (Columbia)
91kg Kiril Afanasev (Ireland) v Radoslav Panaleev (Bulgaria)
September 16
Last 32
69kg Aidan Walsh (Ireland) v Pat McCormack (England)
Results
September 13
Last 64
69kg Aidan Walsh (Ireland) beat Miroslav Kapuler – Chishenko (Israel) 4-1
September 12
Last 64
52kg Regan Buckley (Ireland) lost to Aldoms Suquor (Indonesia) 2-3
63kg Wayne Kelly (Ireland) lost to Matthew Alexander (Trinidad & Tobago) 2-3
September 10
Last 64
81kg Kane Tucker (Ireland) lost to Erkin Adylbek (Kyrgyzstan) 0-5
91kg Kiril Afanasev (Ireland) beat Austin Aokuso (Australia) 5-0
September 9
Last 64
75kg Michael Nevin (Ireland) beat Andre1 Vreme (Moldova) 5-0
Irish squad
52kg: Regan Buckley (St Teresa’s)
57kg: Kurt Walker (Canal)
63kg: Wayne Kelly (Portlaoise)
69kg: Aidan Walsh (Monkstown)
75kg: Michael Nevin (Portlaoise)
81kg: Kane Tucker (Emerald)
91kg: Kiril Afanasev (Smithfield)
High-Performnce Director: Bernard Dunne
Head coach: Zaur Antia
Coaches: John Conlan and Eoin Pluck
(B)