MEDAL ALERT – Grainne Walsh Secures World Championship Bronze AT LEAST
Grainne Walsh rounded off a sensational day for Irish boxing with a sensational medal win.
The Offaly native marched onto the World Championship podium and claimed 65kg bronze at the very least.
The St Mary’s talent emerged with a precious metal after a titanic tussle with decorated Chinese superstar Yang Lu.
It was tense from start to finish and Irish nerves were not helped by a point deduction for Walsh in round 2 and a countback after the final bell.
In the end the Irish boxer got the nod and celbrated victory over an Olympic silver medal winner as well as winning a Worlds medal.
Judges scored the bout 28: 28: 29: 27, 28: 28, 28: 28, 29: 27.
Walsh didn’t have an easy path to the podium and reached the quarter finals by way of wins over Slovakia’s Jessica Triebelova and Mariana Soto Torres of Spain.
She will fight Kazakhstan’s Aida Abikeyeva for a place in the final.
The win sees Walsh join Aoife O’Rourke and Patsy Joyce in the semi finals and in the medal circle.
Team Ireland
51kg Daina Moorehouse, of Enniskerry BC, Wicklow. Daina is from Bray, Co. Wicklow.
54kg Jenny Lehane of DCU Boxing Club, Dublin. Jenny is from Ashbourne, Co. Meath
57kg Michaela Walsh of Holy Family Golden Gloves BC Belfast.
60kg Zara Breslin of Tramore BC, Waterford.
65kg Grainne Walsh of St. Mary’s BC, Tallaght, Dublin. Grainne is from Tullamore, Co. Offaly
70kg Lisa O’Rourke of Castlerea BC, Co. Roscommon
75kg Aoife O’Rourke of Castlerea BC, Co. Roscommon. Team Co-Captain
50kg Louis Rooney of Star BC, Belfast
55kg Patsy Joyce of Olympic BC, Mullingar Co. Westmeath
60kg Adam Hession of Monivea BC, Co. Galway. Team Co-Captain
65kg Dean Clancy of Sean McDermott BC, Co. Leitrim. Dean is from Co. Sligo
70kg Matthew McCole of Illies Golden Glove BC Co. Donegal
75kg Gavin Rafferty of Dublin Docklands Boxing Club
80kg Kelyn Cassidy of Saviours Crystal BC, Co. Waterford
85kg Brian Kennedy of St. Brigid’s BC Edenderry Co. Offaly
90kg Jack Marley of Monkstown BC, Dublin
90+kg Martin McDonagh of Galway BC
Support Staff
- Team Manager: Jon Mackey, National Performance Director
- Head Coach: Zauri Antia
- Coaches: Damain Kennedy, Lynne McEnery, Eoin Pluck, James Doyle and JP Delaney
- Doctor: Jim Clover
- Lead Physio: Rob Tuomey
- Performance Analyst: Alan Swanton
- Logistics Support: Sean Crowley, High Performance Manager
