Going for Gold – Sensational Lisa O’Rourke reaches World Championship final
Lisa O’Rourke produced another brilliant performance in Turkey today to progress to the light middleweight World Championship final.
The reigning European U-22 middleweight champion was too good for Armenia’s Ani Hovsepyan in at the quarter-final stage on Monday to put her name alongside Katie Taylor, Kellie Harrington and current teammate Amy Broadhurst on the list of Irish Women World Championship medal winners.
The Castlerea talent and one of Ireland’s most improved fighters, who turned 20 over the weekend, continued her sensational run of form with another eye-catching and impressive win in Istanbul today.
O’Rourke, who has put herself in the Paris frame with her sensational 2022, defeated Sema Aliskan of Turkey to swap her bronze for silver and secure a place in the 70kg decider.
The younger sister of Olympian Aoife O’Rourke will now look to upgrade to gold after reaching the decider in her first-ever senior International tournament.
The win secures O’Rourke silver at the very least as well as $50,000 in prize money, she will now look to improve that to gold and $100,000 when she competes in the final.
A close and evenly contested first round was scored 3-2in favour of the Algerian fighter. The Olympic Galway fighter looked to force the pace in the second against an opponent looking to box and move. As the stanza progressed she held centre ring, used her feet to position her foe where she wanted her and began to take control, counterpunching impressively and landing backhands of note.
#TeamIreland's Lisa O'Rourke will face Helena Alcinda Panguane of 🇲🇿 in the Women's World Championship 70kg final in Thursday's evening session! https://t.co/qJoAil92xJ
— IABA (@IABABOXING) May 18, 2022
She won the round across the board and went into the final stanza up on two cards and level on the others.
A big right hand set the tone early in the final frame and O’Rourke excelled on her toes in and out with accurate shots as her Turkish opponent took a more aggressive approach.
It was still tense with Aliskan pushing right to the death but O’Rourke was the better of the two and finds herself in a World Championships final.
Team Ireland Squad
48kg Shannon Sweeney, St.Anne’ BCs, Mayo
50kg Caitlin Fryers, Immaculata BC, Belfast
52kg Carly McNaul, Ormeau Road BC, Belfast
54kg Niamh Fay, Phoenix of Ballyboughal, Dublin
57kg: Michaela Walsh: Emerald BC, Belfast
63kg Amy Broadhurst: St.Bronagh’s ABC, Rostrevor
66kg Kaci Rock, Enniskerry BC, Wicklow
70kg Lisa O’Rourke, Olympic BC, Galway
75kg Aoife O’Rourke: Olympic BC, Galway
Coaches:
Zauri Antia
John Conlan
Eoin Pluck
Noel Burke
