AmateurHeadline News

Youth gold medalist Aidan Walsh targeting senior Commonwealth glory


Belfast welterweight Aidan Walsh is ready to make his transition from underage star to elite champion this month.

The 2015 Commonwealth Youth Games gold medalist is gearing up for his first major tournament as an adult boxer, the reinvigorated Ulster Elite Championships, and is confident that he will stake his claim for a spot on the Northern Ireland team for next year’s Commonwealth Games.

The younger brother of EU gold and Commonwealth silver medalist Michaela has had injury troubles over the last year or so, but is now back firing fit and believes he has what it takes to qualify for the Games in Australia next April.

While this month’s tournament will not guarantee a spot on the plane, it will factor heavily

The Monkstown BC youngster told Irish-Boxing.com that “every day I dream of that gold medal from the Gold Coast”

“I got the gold in Samoa in 2015, but that’s in the past.”

“I’m always just mentally thinking, since 2015, even since 2014 when my sister won the silver medal, I was saying ‘I will be at these Commonwealth Games and I will push on and do my absolute best.'”

“It’s a different tournament completely to Youth level, it’s a completely different game.”

“I’ve prepared a hundred percent, I’ve mentally prepared, I’ve physically prepared. It’s on the day now, all the hard training is done.”

Watch Aidan Walsh’s interview with Irish-Boxing.com in full below:

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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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