Barys Arena – tournament venue
Cork middleweight Christina Desmond lost on a unanimous decision to Morocco’s Rio 2016 Olympian Khadija Mardi in the Olympic 75kg class at the World Women’s Championships and Olympic qualifiers in Astana, Kazakhstan today.
The North African was awarded a unanimous decision. Desmond, chasing the fight, took a standing count in the fourth round.
However, the Leesiders can consider herself unlucky not to have been awarded a 10-8 round in the second after she dropped Mardi with a right hook, which the ref ruled a slip.
It was the type of “slip” that boxers would be advised not to have very often!
Meantime, Kelly Harrington recorded Ireland’s first win of the 9th edition of the tournament today.
The Dublin light-welter beat former Irish Youth champion Austeja Auciute on a unanimous decision to join Grainne Walsh in the last 16.
Auciute won five Irish underage titles boxing out of the Finn Valley BC in Donegal, but has since returned to her native Lithuania where she secured an Elite belt this year.
Harrington claimed every round 10-9 this afternoon to post a 40-36 decision across the board in the 64kg class.
Earlier today, Dervla Duffy was beaten by Diletta Cipallane, the current Italian champion, in the 54kg class on a unanimous decision after four tough rounds of boxing.
Moira McElligot can consider herself very unlucky to lose this morning. The St Michael’s Athy feather and Turkey’s Sati Burcu were locked in a see-saw battle which ended 39-37, 38-38, 37-39, but then it went back to the judges the Turk got the nod.
Donna Barr and Olympic champion Katie Taylor are in action tomorrow.
AIBA World Women’s Championships Astana, Kazakhstan
May 19th (Last 64)
51kg Ceire Smith (Ireland) lost to Ingrit Valencia (Colombia) 0-2
May 20th (Last 32)
54kg Dervla Duffy (Ireland) lost to Diletta Cipallane (Italy) 0-3
57kg Moira McElligot (Ireland) lost to Sati Burcu (Turkey) 1-2
64kg Kelly Harrington (Ireland) beat Austeja Auciute (Lithuania) 3-0
75kg Christina Desmond (Ireland) lost to Khadija Mardi (Morocco) 0-3
May 21st (Last 32)
48kg Donna Barr (Ireland) v Kim Klavel (Canada)
60kg Katie Taylor (Ireland) v Agnes Alexiusson (Sweden)
May 22nd (Last 16)
64kg Kelly Harrington (Ireland) v Cindy Rogge (Germany) or Eszter Olah (Hungary)
69kg Grainne Walsh (Ireland) v Hanna Solecka (Poland)
Irish squad
48kg Donna Barr (Twin Towns)
51kg Ceire Smith (Cavan)
54kg Dervla Duffy (Mulhuddart)
57kg Moira McElligot (St Michael’s Athy)
60kg Katie Taylor (Bray)
64kg Kelly Harrington (Glasnevin)
69kg Grainne Walsh (Sparticus)
75kg Christina Desmond (Fr Horgan’s)
Team manager: Anna Moore
Coaches: Zaur Antia, Eddie Bolger, Gerry Storey, Pat McDonagh
Physio: Molly Ryan