AmateurHeadline News

MEDAL ALERT- Kurt Walker beats former pro to continue Irish success

Kurt Walker rounded off a brilliant afternoon for Irish boxing in style as he continued Ireland quarter final winning run going.

Ireland have now won five of their last five European Games last eight contests and are guaranteed at least FIVE bronze medals in the Olympic style contest.

The Canal BC fighter joined light fly Regan Buckley, middleweight Michael Nevin, featherweight Michaela Walsh and welterweight Grainne Walsh on the winners podium in Minsk with victory in the afternoon session.

The fourth seed reached the semi final stage and secured himself a bronze with victory overĀ Samuel Kistohurry of France in the bantamweight division.Ā 

The European bronze and Commonwealth Games silver medal winner registered a unanimous victory over the reverted professional.

The victory means boxing now accounts for five of Ireland’s six 2019 European Games medals.

It also ensures the Irish boxing team beat there 2015 tally of four medals. Katie Taylor, Jow Ward, Sean McComb and Brendan Irvine all medalled in the inaugural Games.

Walker like his fellow bronze medalists will be hopeful of improving on the bronze when he fights in the semi finals.

Ireland could add to the medal tally in the evening session as reigning world champion Kellie Harrington and Aoife O’Rourke take to the ring tonight. Harrington takes onĀ Irma Testa of Italy while O’Rourke facesĀ Lauren PriceĀ  of Team GB.

Irish squad

Female

57kg Michaela Walsh (Monsktown A)

60kg Kellie Harrington (St Marys)

69kg GrƔinne Walsh (Spartacus)

75kg Aoife Oā€™Rourke (Castlerea)

Male

49kg Regan Buckley (St Teresaā€™s) (Bronze, at least)

56kg Kurt Walker (Canal)

64kg James McGivern (St Georgeā€™s)

69kg Kieran Molloy (Oughterard)

75kg Michael Nevin (Portlaoise) (Bronze, at least)

91kg Tony Browne (St Michaelā€™s Dublin)

91kg+ Dean Gardiner (Clonmel)

Team manager: Bernard Dunne

Coaches: Zaur Antia, John Conlan, Dmitry Dimitruk

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Jonny Stapleton

Irish-boxing.com contributor for 15 years and editor for the past decade. Have been covering boxing for over 16 years and writing about sports for a living for over 20 years. Former Assistant Sports editor for the Gazette News Paper Group and former Tallaght Voice Sports Editor. Have had work published in publications around the world when working as a freelance journalist. Also co-founder of Junior Sports Media and Leinster Rugby PRO of the Year winner. email: editoririshboxing@gmail.com

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