(OCT 9) The 8th edition of the
AIBA Women's Elite World Championships gets under way at the
Halla Gymnasium in Jeju Island, South Korea on 14th November
with the finals scheduled for Monday 24th. Though the closing
date for entries was 30th September few countries have thus far
named their squads so
we will bring you updates on who is competing in the three
Olympic weights (51,60 and 75 kg) as soon as we have it.
The AIBA confirms that there will be 10 weights in all in Jeju:
45 – 48kg, 51kg, 54kg, 57Kg, 60kg, 64kg, 69kg, 75kg, 81kg, and
81+kg.
We also know that Olympic Gold Medallist at London 2012, Nicola
Adams will not be in Jeju due to an injured shoulder which has
kept her out of action since July’s Commonwealth Games in
Glasgow so Lisa Whiteside is almost certain to be the English
representative.
In the coming weeks we will bring you news of the other teams,
as we receive them. One of the first countries to name their
team is Ireland, led of course by the London 2012 60kg Gold
medallist, Katie Taylor who will be defending her crown in Jeju.
Should she be successful again it would be her fifth in a row.
The IABA named this team – and accompanying officials – for Jeju:
2014 AIBA World Women’s Elite Championships Jeju, Korea November
13th/25th
51kg Michaela Walsh (Holy Family BC - Belfast)
57kg Joanne Lambe (Carrickmacross BC - Monaghan)
60kg Katie Taylor (Bray BC – Wicklow))
69kg Clare Grace (Callan BC _ Kilkenny))
Team Manager: Anna Moore
Coaches : Pete Taylor, Zuari Antia, Gerry Storey
Physio: Mary Louise Ryan
So what, if anything, one wondered has changed in Katie Taylor’s
life since winning that elusive Gold at the London Olympics?
“Things haven’t changed, I don’t feel things have changed much,
I get recognised bit more. I still have the same friends and do
the same things, I live a very quiet and normal life so I don’t
feel much has changed for me to be honest, but I’m always so
grateful for the support and people wishing me well," the Bray
BC orthodox, told ‘Now That's What I Call Sport’ recently on
98fm.
"It’s going to be tough and it’s always difficult to defend
those titles. It doesn’t come easy and I think it gets harder
and harder every year because you are going in as the one to
beat and everyone raises their game against you, so I have to be
at my very very best and box better than I’ve ever done before
to win those competitions.”
“I want to make history in my sport, I want to be a highly
decorated amateur champion and continue to win titles,” said the
AIBA World No 1.
“I’ve a fight in Limerick and a fight in Cork coming up (October
11th and 12th), so, yeah, things are going really well and I’m
feeling really strong and sharp and hopefully I’ll defend my
title.
On Saturday (Oct 11th), Katie heads the St John’s BC, Fermoy
club jointly promoted with Maher Sports, at the Loreto Sports
Complex in Fermoy, Co. Cork where her opponent is Swedish
titleholder (64kg) and fellow (60kg challenger in Jeju, Patricia
Berghult. Before leaving for Ireland, Berghult told WBAN:
"I'm very excited to box against Katie, she is a great boxer.
It is my first time in Ireland so that's exciting too!
I will be representing Sweden in Jeju, South Korea in November
when I will compete in 60kg"
She was a quarter finalist at the 2012 AIBA Women's World Senior
Championships and Olympic qualifier in China - her first major
Elite tournament but she has also had much success in National
and other major competitions at home and abroad.
Born on 2 May 1994, she boxes out of the Höllvikens BK and has
met some of the top women boxers in her short career to date
among them Chantelle Cameron of Great Britain, Switzerland's
Anais Kistler whom she has twice defeated, Estelle Mosselly of
France, Daria Abramova of Russia,Bianka Nagy of Hungary and
Swiss boxer Sandra Brugger.
There remains a modest number of tickets for Saturday’s bout –
if you are in Cork or surrounding counties on Saturday (8pm
start) check ticket availability with St John’s BC Secretary, Pa
Flynn 087-1675884 or Maher Sports 021-4271244.
On Sunday 12th, with the opening bout at 4pm, Taylor moves on to
the U.L. Arena in Limerick City where many times Belgian
champion and former European Union bronze medallist Oshin
Derieuw bravely faces Taylor in the latter’s last bout before
setting off for Korea.
The Belgian ‘amateur’ - now based in France- had this to say
regarding the challenge she faces Sunday
“I know Katie Taylor is very dynamic, strong and has a good eye
in the ring. She is a great boxer as she has proved in several
tournaments and championships. But no one is perfect, everyone
has his or her flaws. Of course she has the opportunity in her
country just to train all day. She has great support which is
amazing. Boxing Katie Taylor is absolutely a goal that I wanted
to achieve.”
” I’m really looking forward to the fight. For me it’s one of
the biggest challenges I've had so I’m preparing myself 1000%.
It will ask my highest concentration, my most dynamic self, my
strongest fastest body… It will ask the best of me and that’s
what I want to give in the ring. I’m never doing prospects on
the results, all I know is that we are coming to win and give
our best self".
There are also a modest number of tickets available for the
Limerick show which has 9 other bouts and a full day of family
entertainment. These can be obtained from St Francis’ BC coach
Ken Moore on (0877833110) or Kieran Ryan (0872415898).
Ken Moore who has spent the past several months organising
Sunday’s event told WBAN :
"It’s been a lot of hard work but I am honoured to be able to
bring the greatest female fighter on the planet to my hometown.
Limerick has long been known as Ireland's sporting capital and
this year is also the National ‘City of Culture’ so what better
time to bring our Olympic champion to the fantastic UL sports
arena to fight a very determined challenger in Oshin Derieuw, It
promises to be a very special event"
Munster, Ireland and Lions Rugby sports icon, Paul O’Connell
last week met up with Katie Taylor (both are Ambassadors for
Toyota Ireland). Paul gamely accepted Katie’s challenge of a few
rounds in the ring whilst after ‘beating him up’ Katie had a go
at 5 a side Rugby. See here how this ‘battle royal ended’ though
sources say that Katie’s attempts at converting a try were
rather better than Paul’s ‘gallant’ performance in the ring.
Finally let us look back and see who has won all the previous
year’s titles at every AIBA World Championships for women since
the original in Scranton, USA back in 2001. This link courtesy
of our friends at Strefa Poland Boxing. Just click on the
appropriate link for that year’s full results – enjoy :
Link
