Irish squad in Red Square Moscow.
Irish captain Brett McGinty, Paddy Donovan and Christopher O’Reilly will be the first Irish boxers in action at the 2016 World Youth Championships in St Petersburg, Russia on Friday.
The 63-nation tournament begins tomorrow. No Irish are between the ropes on Day 1.The draw for the Championships was made in St Petersburg this morning and will be online shortly. Irish team manager Stephen Connelly reports that the Boys in Green are eager to get their campaign started.
“You have to take what is in front of you in the draw and take it one bout at the time. We have no boxers in action Thursday, but three in on Friday. The boys are looking forward to getting the tournament underway,” he said.
The 2016 World Youths are ostensibily the 5th edition of the tournament. However, and in reality, the Championships have been running since 1979 as the World Juniors before being re-graded as the World Youths in 2008 in Mexico where Ray Moylette won gold for Ireland, our first gold at this level.
Two years later, Rio 2016 Olympian Joe Ward, who won World Junior gold in Armenia in 2009, nailed World Youth gold in Azerbaijan.
In 2013, Ward became the only international boxer to medal at the AIBA World Junior, Youth and Elite Championships as a teenager after he won bronze at the World Elites in Kazakhstan a few days shy of his 20th birthday.
Ward also secured AIBA World Elite silver in 2015 in Qatar. 351 boxers will compete at the 2016 World Youth Championships.
AIBA World Youth Championships St Petersburg, Russia
(Last 32 unless stated)
November 18th
60kg Paddy Donovan (Ireland) v Damian Durkacz (Poland) (Last 64)
69kg Brett McGinty (Ireland) v Kuattisak Promchuay (Thailand) (Last 64)
81kg Christopher O’Reilly (Ireland) v Kim Taek Min (Korea)
November 19th
49kg Jordan Moore (Ireland) v Salah Imberahim (Germany)
52kg Conor Quinn (Ireland) v Elio Crespo-Santos (Cuba)
56kg Eamer Coughlan (Ireland) Toltayayev Samatav (Kazakhstan)
November 20th
75kg Michael Nevin (Ireland) v Matej Uremovic (Croatia) or Mukhammadyusuf Akbarov (Kyrgyzstan)
November 21st
64kg Gabriel Dossen (Ireland) v Freudis Rojas Jnr. (USA)
November 22nd
(Last 16)
91kg+ Kevin Sheehy (Ireland) v Mahammad Abdullayev (Azerbaijan) or Marek Korolkov (Lithuania)
Irish squad
49kg Jordan Moore (Glasnevin)
52kg Conor Quinn (Clonard)
56kg Eamer Coughlan (Riverstown)
60kg Patrick Donovan (OLOL)
64kg Gabriel Dossen (Olympic)
69kg Brett McGinty (Oakleaf) Cpt
75kg Michael Nevin (Portlaoise)
81kg Christopher O’Reilly (Bracken)
91+kg Kevin Sheehy (St Francis)
Team manager: Stephen Connolly
Coaches: Billy McClean and John Conlan
R&J: Ben McGarrigle