Team Ireland will return home from the World Junior Championships in Yerevan, Armenia, with two World Champions and a World bronze medalist.
Yesterday, John Donoghue, of Olympic BC Mullingar, was crowned a World Junior Champion following a thrilling final against Uzbekistan’s Khikmatillo Ulmasov. This was the 15 year old 63kg boxer’s 5th bout of the tournament. The first round was a 3-2 split, in favour of Donoghue. The second round was a 4-1 split in favour of the boxer in blue, which mirrored the final result. The judges, from Armenia, Serbia, India, Tunisia and Kyrgyzstan, scored the bout: 29:28; 27:30, 28:29; 27:30; 27: 30.
Today, 63kg Siofra Lawless of Four Kings BC in Kilcoole County Wicklow, contested her final against India’s Sachin Shurshti Sathe on the second day of finals. Siofra displayed excellent punch-picking, and ringcraft, and was dominate throughout, winning all rounds. Judges from Serbia, Zimbabwe, Kyrgyzstan, Spain and Uzbekistan scored the bout, which included a last round standing count for XX : 26:30, 26:30, 27:30, 26:30, 27:30.
Siofra has also, this evening, been named Best Female Boxer of the World Junior Championships.
Tributes and congratulations have been paid across social media to Siofra, on her victory today:
Team Ireland has a third medalist, in 70Kg Mary McDonagh, of Kerry’s Sliabh Luachra BC. She boxed her semi-final against India’s Akansh Phalaswal. The unanimous decision went to the Indian athlete, on a scoreline of 27:30; 27:30; 28:29; 27:30; 27:30 – and Mary will return home with World bronze.
Being part of a World Championship team is an incredible achievement – congratulations to all Team Ireland boxers, their World Championship coaches, Brian Barry, Amanda Spencer and Gary Kehoe, Team Manager Anna Moore, their clubs and families.
Team Ireland
48Kg Lauren Crinnion, Fr Horgan’s
52Kg Grace Conway, Treadagh BC
54Kg Tegan Farrelly, Dunboyne BC
60Kg Robyn Wolverson, Docklands BC
63Kg Siofra Lawless, Four Kings BC
70Kg Mary McDonagh, Sliabh Luachra BC
48Kg Aaron Keogh, Drimnagh BC
52Kg Christian Doyle, Team Doyle BC
57Kg Patrick Kelly, Kilmyshall BC
63Kg John Donoghue, Olympic Mullingar BC
70Kg Alex Noonan Carmody, Riverstown BC
Team Manager
Anna Moore
Coaches
Brian Barry
Garry Kehoe
Amanda Spencer
