Re-Joyce! Davy Oliver Joyce finally qualifies for Olympic Games
David Oliver Joyce has finally qualified for the Olympic Games after years of heartbreak which saw him dubiously miss out on the 2008 and 2012 Games.
The big punching lightweight beat home fighter Volkan Gokcek this afternoon at the European Olympic Qualifier in Samsun, Turkey.
In what was his eight tournament entered in an attempt to qualify for the Games, Joyce was not to be denied against the Turk.
The St Michael’s Athy took the first round on two cards before unanimously losing the second stanza. Needing a big last three minutes, Joyce was relentless and threw all he had at Gokcek to take the round and the spot in Brazil via a split decision – (29-28 x2, 28-29).
VIDEO: David Oliver Joyce was overcome with emotion after finally sealing a place at an Olympic Games.https://t.co/cWDyA90i9z
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) April 17, 2016
The win sees Joyce join cousin Joe Ward, Paddy Barnes, Mick Conlan, Steven Donnelly, and Brendan Irvine on the plane to Rio. Irish fighters will compete for spots in the remaining seven classes over the coming months.