AmateurHeadline News

Irish boxers score two more wins at Women’s World Championships


Ireland scored two more wins in the morning session of Day 2 of the Women’s Elite World Championships in New Delhi.

Cavan flyweight Céire Smith and Roscommon middleweight Aoife O’Rourke joined Dublin lightweight Kelly Harrington in the Lasst 16 following good preliminary round wins in India.

First up was Smith who was making her return to big tournament action after over two years away.

The Virginia veteran edged out Bulgarian European and EU bronze medallist Gabriela Dimitrova on a 3-2 split following a tight, cagey encounter with a wide spread of scores (30-27, 30-27, 38-28, 28-29, 27-30)

Smith will now face Japan’s Tsukimi Namiki in the Last 16 on Monday. The Far East fighter defeated recent European silver medalist Busenaz Cakiroglu of Turkey on a 3-2 split in the bout proceeding Smith’s.

Next up was Castlerea’s Aoife O’Rourke, with the Connacht middleweight dominating Taiwan’s Yang Ya Chu. The Asian had beaten Lauren Kelly as a Youth last year but was no match for O’Rouke who won on wide scorelines of 30-27, 30-26, and a trio of 30-25s.

On Monday O’Rourke will box the vastly experienced Welshwoman Lauren Price, a triple European bronze medallist and Commonwealth gold and bronze winner. A fighter who operates at both welter and middle, Price was defeated in the EUs last year by Offaly’s Gráinne Walsh.

Two more Irish are in action in the evening session

Belfast feather Michaela Walsh will box Romanian veteran Lacramiora Perijoc at 1:30pm while Dundalk light welter Amy Broadhurst faces Russian European bronze medallist and fellow former underage star Ekaterina Dynnik at 3:15pm.

These bouts can be watched live below:

AIBA WORLD WOMEN’S ELITE CHAMPIONSHIPS
November 16th
Last 32
60kg Kelly Harrington (Ireland) beat Troy Garton (New Zealand) 5-0

November 17th
Last 32
51kg Ceire Smith (Ireland) beat Gabriela Dimitrova (Bulgaria) 302
57kg Michaela Walsh (Ireland) v Lacramiora Perijoc (Romania)
64kg Amy Broadhurst (Ireland) v Ekaterina Dynnik (Russia)
75kg Aoife O’Rourke (Ireland) beat Yang Ya Chu (Taiwan) 5-0

November 18th
Last 16
60kg Kelly Harrington (Ireland) v Sarita Devi (India)
69kg Grainne Walsh (Ireland) v Emile Sonvico (France) or Noella Perez (Argentina)

November 19th
51kg Ceire Smith (Ireland) v Tsukimi Namiki (Japan)
75kg Aoife O’Rourke (Ireland) v Lauren Price (Wales)

Irish squad
51kg Ceire Smith (Virginia)
57kg Michaela Walsh (Monkstown)
60kg Kelly Harrington (St Mary’s)
64kg Amy Broadhurst (Dealgan)
69kh Grainne Walsh (Sparticus)
75kg Aoife O’Rourke (Castlerea)

Team manager: Bernard Dunne
Coaches: Zaur Antia & Dmitry Dimitruk
Physio: Muireann Harte

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Joe O'Neill

Reporting on Irish boxing the past five years. Work has appeared on irish-boxing.com, Boxing News, the42.ie, and local and national media. Provide live ringside updates, occasional interviews, and special features on the future of Irish boxing. email: joneill6@tcd.ie

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