(FEB 17) For the first time in
her career, Ireland’s Olympic Gold medallist Katie Taylor will
NOT be defending ‘her’ title when the European Games boxing
tournament gets underway in Baku this Summer.
Lest any European boxers give a
‘sigh of relief’ at the news, let me explain. This is the
INAUGURAL European Games (broadly speaking ‘the European
Olympics’) hence the reason Taylor is NOT defending a title.
The IABA, the national governing body for the sport in Ireland
has named a strong team for this event, which includes both
males and females.
London 2012 Olympians and medallists Paddy Barnes, Michael
Conlan, Adam Nolan and Darren O’Neill join Olympic champion
Katie Taylor on the team.
Joe Ward, the only boxer in the history of the sport
internationally to win three AIBA World Junior, Youth and Elite
medals as a teenager and three-time EU champion David Oliver
Joyce are included in the 13-strong panel.
The Bray BC in Wicklow and Holy Family BC in Belfast will have
two representatives apiece at the European Games, courtesy of
Katie Taylor and Adam Nolan, Paddy Barnes and Michaela Walsh.
The Baku Games will act as a qualifier for the 2015 AIBA World
Men’s Elite Championships in Doha, Qatar next October.
Irish squad 1st European Games Baku, Azerbaijan June 12/28
Female
51kg: Ceire Smith (Cavan BC)
54kg: Michaela Walsh (Holy Family BC)
60kg: Katie Taylor (Bray BC)
Male
49kg: Paddy Barnes (Holy Family)
52kg: Myles Casey (St Francis)
56kg: Michael Conlan (St John Bosco)
60kg: David Oliver Joyce (St Michael’s Athy)
64kg: Dean Walsh (St Joseph’s/St Ibars)
69kg: Adam Nolan (Bray BC)
75kg: Michael O’Reilly (Portlaoise)
81kg: Joe Ward (Moate)
91kg: Darren O’Neill (Paulstown)
91kg+: Dean Gardiner (Clonmel)
STRANDJA:
The historic Strandja tournament meanwhile is taking place this
month in Bulgaria where boxers from all over Europe and many
from beyond will take part in the 65th Strandja Memorial
tournament in Sofia.
Among the early entries in the women’s event are England’s
Nicola Adams and Natasha Jonas, both making a welcome return to
the sport following injury.
For that tournament the IABA has selected this squad, all
comprising of National Elite Champions from the recent IABA
Elite Senior finals. Among the women is Commonwealth Games
silver medallist Michaela Walsh from
Belfast’s Holy Family club (who is also in the European Games
squad).So too Cavan’s Ceire Smith, another fine future prospect.
Also great to see the IABA including a female coach in
Antoinette Faye. A well-deserved honour.
Back in the team is EU medallist Laoise Traynor (a policewoman)
also based at and trained by Pete Taylor at the Bray BC as is
another ‘Garda’ Adam Nolan who represented Ireland at London
2012.
London 2012 Olympians Adam Nolan and Darren O’Neill will wear
the Irish welterweight and heavyweight vests in the Bulgarian
capital.
The 1st Strandja Memorial was held in 1950.
Strandja Multi-Nations Sofia, Bulgaria February 23rd/March 1st
49kg: Brendan Irvine (St Paul’s Antrim)
51kg: Ceire Smith (Cavan)
52kg: Myles Casey (St Francis)
54kg: Michaela Walsh (Holy Family)
56kg: Kurt Walker (Canal)
60kg: Sean McComb (Holy Trinity)
64kg: Dean Walsh (St Joseph's/St Ibars)
69kg: Adam Nolan (Bray)
75kg: Michael O’Reilly (Portlaoise)
75kg: Laoise Traynor (Bray BC)
81kg Roy Sheahan (St Michael’s Athy)
91kg: Darren O’Neill (Paulstown)
91+kg: Dean Gardiner (Clonmel)
Team Manager: Joe Hennigan
Coaches: Billy Walsh, Jimmy Halpin, Antoinette Faye Garda Laoise
Traynor, Bray BC - IABA 75kg champion 2015
