Jack Johnson recorded a decisive win while making his 2024 European Youth Championship debut.
33 countries and 330 boxers are contesting the competition, in Porec, Croatia. Participation federations are Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, IBA – B, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, England, Estonia, France, Georgia, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Kosovo, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey and Ukraine.
Ireland has a highly successful recent history at the tournament – the 2022 team won more medals at this competition that any other Team Ireland Youth squad contesting a European level tournament. They came home with 3 gold for Team Co-Captain, 71kg Bobbi Flood, 81kg Dearbhla Tinnelly and 81+kg Cliona D’arcy., a silver for 70kg Laura Moran and 3 bronze for 48kg boxers Georgia Dunn McGovern and Patsy Joyce, 50kg Katie O’Keeffe, and 63kg Winnie McDonagh.
The draw, conducted yesterday means 51kg Jamie Collins, Drimnagh BC, meets Azerbaijan, while 57kg Martin McDonagh, Avona BC opens his account against England.European Junior champion, 71kg Tadhg O’Donnell, Four Kings BC, takes on an IBA-B boxers in his first bout of the tournament
48kg Tiffany Spencer, Jobstown BC, Dublin will box Azerbaijan in her first bout; 50kg Carlagh Peake, Ballyhaunis BC, Mayo also meets England. 52kg Grace Conway Dowling, Tredagh BC, Louth contests against Romania while 54kg Nicole Kinsella, St. Mary’s BC, NR, Wexford faces Turkish opposition. 63kg Ava Henry, Dublin Docklands BC has a bye to the quarter finals, and will box either Spain or Hungary. The only other Ireland boxer with a bye is 66kg Kyla Doyle Byrne, Whitechurch BC, Dublin – she’ll box that bout against either Turkey or Poland.
Jack Johson, contesting at lightweight, boxed Ibrahim Alp Bakir of Turkey, was dominant and decisive from the first bell, winning a 5/0 decision. Judges scored the bout 27:30; 26:30; 27:30; 27:30; 27:30. He’ll box is second preliminary against Italy on Sunday. 67kg Ryan Connolly was the second Irish boxer in the ring today, and met Georgia’s Elnur Abdulaevi. Ryan put in a brave and battling performance, but it wasn’t to be today; the 5-0 decision went to his opponent. Judges scored the bout 29:27; 30:25; 30:26; 30:26; 30:26.
Day Two
Four Ireland boxers are in action on Day Two of the tournament, when preliminaries continue. All Irish boxers will contest in Ring B’s Afternoon Session, beginning at 1pm, Irish time.
48kg Scott Thompson is first up, in Bout 2 – he boxes Georgia’s Mikheil Gvasalia. In the following bout, 54kg Kai Ducque meets France’s Mohamed Djemmal. In bout 7, 63.5kg Ryan Jenkins takes on Turkey’s Refik Kartal, while Team Co-Captain, 92+kg Adam Olaniyan makes his tournament debut in bout 10, against Poland’s Kryzsztof Zakrzews.
Programme
Watch
Ring A
Ring B
Team
48kg Tiffany Spencer, Jobstown BC, Dublin
50kg Carlagh Peake, Ballyhaunis BC, Mayo.
52kg Grace Conway Dowling, Tredagh BC, Louth
54kg Nicole Kinsella, St. Mary’s BC, NR, Wexford
63kg Ava Henry, Dublin Docklands BC.
66kg Kyla Doyle Byrne, Whitechurch BC, Dublin
48kg Scott Thompson, Spartans BC, Antrim
51kg Jamie Collins, Drimnagh BC, Dublin
54kg Kai Ducque, Avona BC, Dublin
57kg Martin McDonagh, Avona BC, Dublin.
60kg Jack Johnson, Marble City BC, Kilkenny
63.5kg Ryan Jenkins, Olympic BC, Westmeath
67kg Ryan Connolly, Setanta BC, Kildare.
71kg Tadhg O’Donnell, Four Kings BC, Wicklow.
92+kg Adam Olaniyan, Jobstown BC, Dublin.
Team Manager: Anna Moore
Coach: Liam Cunningham
Coach: Amanda Spencer
Coach: Garry Kehoe
Coach: Ralph McKay
R&J: Stephen Kelly
Draws are available here
Session 1A results
Session 2B results