IABA confirm team for European Elite Men’s Championships
With just under a month to go until the tournament kicks off, the Irish Athletic Boxing Association have confirmed a nine-strong squad for the European Elite Men’s Championships in the Ukraine.
The 2017 Europeans, the 42nd edition of the tournament since 1925, runs from June 14th to June 25th in Kharkiv.
The major news sees Dean Gardine and Steven Donnelly chosen over reigning Irish champions Martin Keenan and Dean Walsh respectively at super heavy and welter.
Ireland will not send a representative at light flyweight.
The emainder of the team is made up of the Elite Senior Champions from Friday which includes double European gold medalist Joe Ward, and silver medalist Darren O’Neill.
The top eight boxers (quarter-finalists) in each of the ten weights in Kharkiv book tickets for Hamburg. Europe has the highest quota of all the continents with 80 berths. It is believed that should a Geman each the quater finals, the man he defeated in the Last 16 will be given a spot at the Worlds
280 athletes will compete at the 2017 World Championships. 260 of those places are available through the qualification process with the other 20 places going to the host nation (10) and wild cards (10).
Team Ireland go into training camp in Kharkiv on June 5th.
European Elite Men’s Championships Kharkiv, Ukraine June 14th/25th
Irish squad
52kg Brendan Irvine (St Paul’s)
56kg Kurt Walker (Canal)
60kg Patrick Mongan (Olympic)
64kg Sean McComb (Holy Trinity)
69kg Steven Donnelly (All Saints)
75kg Emmett Brennan (Glasnevin)
81kg Joe Ward (Moate)
91kg Darren O’Neill (Paulstown)
91+kg Dean Gardiner (Clonmel)
Team manager: Gerry O’Mahony
High-Performance: Director: Bernard Dunne
Coaches: Zaur Antia, Dmitry Dimitruc, Eoin Pluck
Doctor: Jim Clover
Strength & Conditioning: John Cleary
Performance Analysis: Alan Swanton
