CONFIRMED – Irish European U22 Championship Team
A team of 18 athletes has been selected to contest the 2024 European U22 Championships, taking place in Sofia, Bulgaria, from October 8th to 21st.
The team includes 2022 World Champion, Lisa O’Rourke, 2022 European U22 gold medalist, Niamh Fay, 2023 European U22 bronze medalist Niamh Fay, superheavy Martin McDonagh, who contested to qualification bout stage at the 2nd Olympic World Qualifier, 2022 World Youth quarter finalist Gavin Ryan and 2022 EUBC European Youth champion, Bobbi Flood. Around 300 boxers from 30 federations are expected to contest the competition, which the EUBC is likely to stream, live, on it’s YouTube channel.
U22 Team Head Coach, Eoin Pluck, says “There’s great talent and potential in this team, which has been in training since August as part of the National U22 Training Squad. I and the U22 Coaching Team are impressed by by their individual and collective commitment to training and development, and their readiness to learn and adapt. Its a great honour to contest for your country, and I’d like to congratulate each boxer, their clubs, club coaches and their families.”
The IABA team, during their preparation bloc and with the support of Sport Ireland and SportNI sport science practitioners, have received three workshops on Nutrition, focusing on loading, recovery and weight management. The team has received two Sport Psychology workshops, learning in Physiology and will undergo SCAT/Baseline concussion testing before departure. As part of their preparations, all team members have completed an Anti-Doping workshop. This is in addition to the embedding of Strength and Conditioning in to the training plan, and a sparring camp with Italy hosted by the Ulster High Performance Unit.
High Performance Director, Tricia Heberle, says “The relationships between High Performance and targeted sport science support are vital in ensuring the highest impact preparation for this team, in tandem with the boxing technical training administered by the High Performance staff coaching team. Competition at U22 is an important transitional stage for high potential athletes, and allows them to mature and develop, technically. It also allows athletes to become accustomed to the rigours of contesting international benchmark events, and the realities of full-time High Performance training. These athletes have put in the work over these training blocs, and they should look forward now to contesting this tournament to the best of their considerable abilities.”
Team Ireland
48kg Carleigh Irving, Oakleaf Boxing Club, Derry
54kg Robyn Kelly, Ballynacargy Boxing Club, Westmeath
57kg Niamh Fay, Phoenix of Ballyboughal Boxing Club, Dublin
63kg Linda Desmond, Rylane Boxing Club, Cork
66kg Kaci Rock, Enniskerry Boxing Club, Wicklow
70kg Lisa O’Rourke, Castlerea Boxing Club, Roscommon
75kg Bethany Dooecy, Castlebar Boxing Club, Mayo
48kg Louis Rooney, Star Boxing Club, Belfast
51kg Clepson dos Santos, Holy Trinity ABC, Belfast
54kg Patsy Joyce, Olympic BC, Westmeath
57kg Gavin Ryan, Ratoath Golden Gloves Boxing Club, Meath
63.5kg Roy Colgan, Avona Boxing Club, Dublin
67kg Luke Hall, Olympic Boxing Club, Westmeath
71kg Bobbi Flood, Cabra Boxing Club, Dublin
75kg Josh Olaniyan, Jobstown Boxing Club, Dublin
80kg James Whelan, Dublin Docklands Boxing Club
86kg Kian Hedderman, St. Francis Boxing Club, Limerick
92+kg Martin McDonagh, Galway Boxing Club, Galway
