The 7th AIBA World Women’s Championships began at 1pm       (Irish time) today  (May 11) at the Olympic Stadium in Qinhuangdao, China.

343 boxers from 77 nations have entered this historic event with these numbers smashing all previous records.

The 2012 Championships will be contested across ten weight categories. However, three of those weight classes – flyweight,       lightweight and middleweight – have a double significance as these are the       three Olympic weight categories for women.

The draw for the Championships, which will act as the       only qualifier for female boxers for the 2012 Olympic Games in London,       will take place at 7am tomorrow (Irish time) followed by the opening       ceremony.

Ceire Smith, Katie Taylor and Sinead Kavanagh have       been in Qinhuangdao since last Friday ahead of the opening bell for the       historic tournament, which is also acting as the first ever Olympic       qualifying event for female boxers.

Taylor, the current European lightweight champion,       will be aiming for her 4th AIBA World title in-a-row in       China.

The Irish team are staying at the China Football       School in Qinhuangdao.

Irish team manager Anna Moore reports that the squad       are eager to get in the ring and get the tournament       underway.

“It promises to be a very competitive for our       girls.They are all looking forward to the draw and to competing at these       World Championships, ” she said.

(Below times are local. Qinhuangdao is seven hours ahead of       Ireland).

7th AIBA World Women’s       Championships Qinhuangdao, China May 11th.

− 07:00 – 09:00 General Weigh-In / Medical       Examination

− 14:00 – Official Draw

− 18:00 – 19:00 Opening Ceremony

− 20:00 – 1st Session (Preliminaries)

Irish       squad

51kg (Flyweight) Ceire Smith (Cavan)

60kg (Lightweight) Katie Taylor (Bray)

75kg (Middleweight) Sinead Kavanagh (Drimnagh)

Team manager: Anna Moore

Coaches: Peter Taylor and Zuar Antia