Grainne Walsh gets Ireland’s final Olympic qualifying campaign underway
Grainne Walsh gloves off Ireland’s final Olympic Qualifier campaign in Bangkok today.
The St Mary’s BC boxer is the only fighter through the ropes on the opening day of the tournament.
The Offally 66kg talent competes in a Round of 32 bout and contests against Vietnam’s Mai Mai Ngoc Hoang in Bout 3 of Ring B’s Evening Session.
Walsh should be in the ring at around 7.15pm local time, or 1.15pm Irish time.
50kg Daina Moorehouse has a bye to the Round of 16 and will first meet Grigoryan of Armenia. 54kg Jenny Lehane has a bye to the Round of 16 and takes on Lopez of Puerto Rico in her opening bout. 66kg Grainne Walsh opens her campaign at the tournament at the Round of 32 stage, against Hoang of Vietnam. 51kg Sean Mari contests his first bout of the tournament in the Round of 32 against Faheem of Pakistan. 71kg Aidan Walsh has a Round of 64 against Maina of Kenya – his category is among the largest at the tournament and includes 70 boxers. 80kg Kelyn Cassidy makes his debut at Round of 32 stage against Dadaev of Germany and 92+kg Martin McDonagh is first in action at the Round of 16 against Ngoc of Vietnam.
579 boxers from 133 countries will contest the tournament. As with the 1st Olympic World Qualifier in March, boxers will contest to quota; meaning, they will cease to box at a qualification bout. There will be no semi-finals or finals, and no medals bestowed. In5 of the weights Ireland is contesting in Bangkok (50kg, 54kg, 66kg, 51kg and 92+kg), 4 Paris quota places are available. In Men’s 71kg, 5 quota places are available, and there are 3 in Men’s 80kg – which means the de-facto bronze medalists will box off for the final quota place in that weight.
Team
The maximum team size any federation may qualify for an Olympic Games is 13. Six Team Ireland boxers have already qualified: reigning Olympic lightweight champ, Kellie Harrington, and now double Olympians 57kg Michaela Walsh and Aoife O’Rourke. 57kg Jude Gallagher booked his ticket to Paris at the 1st Olympic World Qualifier. 63.5kg Dean Clancy and heavyweight, Jack Marley, qualified at the 2023 European Games.
50kg Daina Moorehouse, Enniskerry BC, Co. Wicklow
54kg Jennifer Lehane, DCU Boxing Club, Dublin
66kg Grainne Walsh, St. Mary’s BC, Tallaght, Dublin
51kg Sean Mari, Monkstown BC, Dublin
71kg Aidan Walsh, Holy Family Golden Gloves BC, Belfast
80kg Kelyn Cassidy, Saviour’s Crystal, Waterford.
92+kg Martin McDonagh, Galway Boxing Club.
