Aoife O’Rourke beats former world champ to win Strandja GOLD
Aoife O’Rourke has been crowned the middleweight champion of the 73rd Strandja International Tournament.
The Olympian won gold in Bulgaria thanks to a unanimous decision final win.
The Roscommon hero defeated Atheyna Bylon of Panama over three rounds. Showing her dominance over the taller southpaw and former AIBA Women’s World Champion, O’Rourke haded Bylon a standing count in the second round.
The Olympic BC Galway fighter joined Kellie Harrington as an Irish gold medal winner after the judges afforded her a 30-27, 29-28, 30-27, 30-27, 30-27 win.
Absolutely fantastic day for #TeamIreland at Strandja – 🥇 for Kellie Harrington and Aoife O'Rourke. The smiles say it all🥊
— IABA (@IABABOXING) February 26, 2022
More here:https://t.co/viFQp5FnTm pic.twitter.com/Y1K3PadXF6
Harrington claimed lightweight gold to by Serbia’s Natalia Shadrina earlier in the day.
The Strandja Memorial is Europe’s oldest international boxing tournament and, having first been staged in Sofia in 1950. This year, podium finishers earn prize money, and can earn new world ranking points.
Team Ireland Squad:
F48kg Shannon Sweeney
F50kg Caitlin Fryers
F52kg Carly McNaul
F57kg Michaela Walsh
F60kg Kellie Harrington
F70kg Christina Desmond
F75kg Aoife O’Rourke
57kg Adam Hession
60kg JP Hale
63.5kg Dean Clancy
67kg Eugene McKeever
71kg Luke Maguire
80kg Kelyn Cassidy
92kg+ Thomas Maughan
