Kellie Harringotn Leads The Tributes to Zaur Anita
Kellie Harrington says Zaur Anita’s influence has been so great that it’s hard for her to sum up in words what the ‘Georgian Genius’ means to her.
Antia officially ended his reign as High Performance Head Coach on Wednesday night, ending a 20-year-plus relationship with the High Performance.
During his association with Irish boxing, first working alongside Billy Walsh before taking the main man spot, he has overseen over 150 major medal wins.
Ten Olympic medals have his fingerprints all over them and his influence has been felt right across the sport on this island.
Two of those Olympic medals were claimed by Dublin Darling Harrington and she was the first to praise the departing boxing mastermind.
The two time Olympic champion, Kellie Harrington sais “ Zauri is one of the best boxing coaches in the world. His influence on me, and on my career, has been massive. His boxing brain, his planning, his strategies, are as exceptional as he is. I can’t quite put in to words how much he means to me”
High Performance Director, Jon Mackey, says “What a legacy this man leaves behind. The scale of Zauri’s achievements as a coach, and the depth of his contribution to Irish boxing over 22 remarkable years, is nothing short of extraordinary. He has shaped the careers of countless athletes, guided them through the highest levels of international competition, and instilled in them the belief, discipline, and technical excellence required to succeed. Equally significant is his dedication to developing the next generation of Irish coaches. His dual commitment to both boxer and coach mentoring has ensured that his knowledge, methods, and values will continue to shape Irish boxing long into the future. That legacy is one of which he and his family can rightly be immensely proud. While we will greatly miss his presence within the high-performance programme, his contribution will continue to echo through every gym, every corner, and every Irish athlete who benefited from his guidance. Zauri leaves the programme stronger, smarter, and more confident than he found it and for that, we owe him our deepest thanks.”
IABA CEO, Gary Stewart says “Zauri’s retirement marks the end of a truly remarkable chapter in Irish boxing. For more than two decades, Zauri has been the driving force behind our high-performance programme, a mentor to generations of Irish athletes, and a standard-bearer for excellence in our sport. Zauri’s influence extends far beyond the corner of the ring. He played a central role in shaping a system that has produced some of Ireland’s greatest sporting moments, and in doing so he inspired belief in athletes, in coaches, and in the organisation as a whole. His passion has elevated everyone around him. On behalf of the Irish Athletic Boxing Association, I want to express our profound gratitude for Zauri’s remarkable service and unwavering dedication”.
IABA President, Anto Donnelly, says “Zauri’s retirement closes a significant chapter for Irish boxing. His professionalism, technical expertise, and commitment to high standards have played a major role in shaping our high-performance programme and developing Irish athletes. On behalf of Central Council, I want to acknowledge his contribution over many years and wish him well in the next stage of his career.”
Sport Ireland Director of High Performance Sport, Paul McDermott, says “Zauri has had a truly remarkable impact, not only on Irish boxing, but on Irish sport as a whole. Sustaining such an extraordinary level of success over more than two decades speaks to his technical brilliance as a coach, but just as importantly to his work ethic and passion for developing athletes. His influence will be felt long into the future through the boxers he has coached and the coaches he has mentored. Beyond medals and accolades, one of his greatest gifts to the country has been the joy and pride that Irish boxing has brought to so many people for so many years.”
Zauri was born in the Georgian port town of Poti, on the Black Sea. As a boxer, he campaigned at 63.5kg and was a six-time Georgian champion and a USSR regional bronze medalist. He has a degree in Sports Science and Management, and was attested a Master of Boxing under the USSR system. As a club and then USSR regional coach, boxers under his tutelage attained Soviet, European and World Soviet finishes. He has made Bray, Co. Wicklow his home for the last 22 years, with his wife Nona, their three children David, Natia and Georghe. Zauri is now a very proud grandfather of 6.
High Performance Senior Coach, Damian Kennedy, has been named Interim Head Coach. Recruitment for the High Performance Head Coach role will take place in the New Year.
