AmateurHeadline News

Kelly Harrington beats home favourite to move into medal rounds at World Championships


Kelly Harrington moved to within one win of a medal at the Women’s Elite World Championships in New Delhi this afternoon.

The talented inner-city Dub upset the home favourite in front of thousands of fans in the Indian capital in the Last 16 and will now box for bronze on Tuesday.

Gránne Walsh, however, was eliminated on a tight split-decision which left her extremely disappointed.

First up was St Mary’s lightweight Harrington defeated veteran Indian Sarita Devi on another narrow split-decision.

Following two competitive rounds, Harrington put on a big finish, dropping the three-time World Championships medallist with a left hook and claiming a 3-2 split (29-28 x3, 28-29 x2), a win which perhaps should have been clearer on the cards.

There was an electric atmosphere throughout and, afterwards, Harrington was given a massive ovation from the Indian crowd as she left the ring.

A silver medallist at light welter last time, Harrington will now box on Tuesday looking to guarantee, at least, bronze. Here she will face Canadian Caroline Veyre who shocked Bulgarian Denitsa Eliseeva today. Veyre is a Panamerican Games gold medalist and a Panamerican Championships silver and bronze medallist but was defeated by Harrington in the finals of the Celtic Box Cup last year.

Offaly welter Walsh was involved in an enertaining fire-fight with Argentina’s double Panamerican Championships gold medallist Lucia Noella Perez but unfortunately came out the wrong end of a split decision in a fight she probably deserved to get the nod in.

The Tullamore puncher landed the heavier shots throughout – at one stage knocking the South American’s gumshield out and in other instance catching Perez with a hook which caused her to spin 360 degrees. However, the experience Latino was the busier fighter which seemed to sway the scoring judges.

Three Irish are in action tomorrow.

Michaela Walsh takes on Italian world champion Alessia Mesiano in a repeat of their European Championships clash earlier this year won by the Belfast feather, young Roscommon middle Aoife O’Rourke is in against Welsh reigning Commonwealht Games champ Lauren Price, while Cavan flyweight Ceire Smith boxes Japan’s Tsukimi Namiki.

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) 3-2
57kg Michaela Walsh (Ireland) beat Lacramiora Perijoc (Romania) 4-1
64kg Amy Broadhurst (Ireland) beat Ekaterina Dynnik (Russia) 4-1
75kg Aoife O’Rourke (Ireland) beat Yang Ya Chu (Taiwan) 5-0

November 18th
Last 16
60kg Kelly Harrington (Ireland) beat Sarita Devi (India) 3-2
69kg Grainne Walsh (Ireland) v Noella Perez (Argentina)

November 19th
51kg Ceire Smith (Ireland) v Tsukimi Namiki (Japan)
57kg Michaela Walsh (Ireland) v Alessia Mesiano (Italy)
75kg Aoife O’Rourke (Ireland) v Lauren Price (Wales)

November 20th
60kg Kelly Harrington (Ireland) v Caroline Veyre (Canada)

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

Photo Credit: Ricardo Guglielminotti – The Fighting Irish (@ThefIrish)

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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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