Jack Johnson Registers Decisive European Youth Win
Jack Johnson recorded a decisive win while making his 2024 European Youth Championship debut.
The Irish lightweight got Team Ireland off to a winning start as he shut out Turkey opposition to reach the second round of the prelims on Thursday.
The Marble City BC fighter while washed Ibrahim Alp Bakir. The Kilkenny native was dominant and decisive from the first bell, winning a 5/0 decision. Judges scored the bout 27:30; 26:30; 27:30; 27:30; 27:30.
Italy now awaits Johnson who returns to action on Sunday.
Ryan Connolly was also in action on day one of the prestigious tournament but didn’t manage to get victory.
The second Irish boxer in the ring was defeated by a very talented Georgian, Elnur Abdulaevi. Ireland’s 67kg representative put in a brave and battling performance, but it wasn’t to be today; the 5-0 decision went to his opponent. Judges scored the bout 29:27; 30:25; 30:26; 30:26; 30:26.
33 countries and 330 boxers are contesting the competition, in Porec, Croatia. Participation federations are Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, IBA – B, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, England, Estonia, France, Georgia, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Kosovo, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey and Ukraine.
Ireland has a highly successful recent history at the tournament – the 2022 team won more medals at this competition that any other Team Ireland Youth squad contesting a European-level tournament. They came home with 3 gold for Team Co-Captain, 71kg Bobbi Flood, 81kg Dearbhla Tinnelly and 81+kg Cliona D’arcy., a silver for 70kg Laura Moran and 3 bronze for 48kg boxers Georgia Dunn McGovern and Patsy Joyce, 50kg Katie O’Keeffe, and 63kg Winnie McDonagh.
The draw, conducted yesterday means 51kg Jamie Collins, Drimnagh BC, meets Azerbaijan, while 57kg Martin McDonagh, Avona BC opens his account against England.European Junior champion, 71kg Tadhg O’Donnell, Four Kings BC, takes on an IBA-B boxers in his first bout of the tournament
48kg Tiffany Spencer, Jobstown BC, Dublin will box Azerbaijan in her first bout; 50kg Carlagh Peake, Ballyhaunis BC, Mayo also meets England. 52kg Grace Conway Dowling, Tredagh BC, Louth contests against Romania while 54kg Nicole Kinsella, St. Mary’s BC, NR, Wexford faces Turkish opposition. 63kg Ava Henry, Dublin Docklands BC has a bye to the quarter finals, and will box either Spain or Hungary. The only other Ireland boxer with a bye is 66kg Kyla Doyle Byrne, Whitechurch BC, Dublin – she’ll box that bout against either Turkey or Poland.
Team
48kg Tiffany Spencer, Jobstown BC, Dublin
50kg Carlagh Peake, Ballyhaunis BC, Mayo.
52kg Grace Conway Dowling, Tredagh BC, Louth
54kg Nicole Kinsella, St. Mary’s BC, NR, Wexford
63kg Ava Henry, Dublin Docklands BC.
66kg Kyla Doyle Byrne, Whitechurch BC, Dublin
48kg Scott Thompson, Spartans BC, Antrim
51kg Jamie Collins, Drimnagh BC, Dublin
54kg Kai Ducque, Avona BC, Dublin
57kg Martin McDonagh, Avona BC, Dublin.
60kg Jack Johnson, Marble City BC, Kilkenny
63.5kg Ryan Jenkins, Olympic BC, Westmeath
67kg Ryan Connolly, Setanta BC, Kildare.
71kg Tadhg O’Donnell, Four Kings BC, Wicklow.
92+kg Adam Olaniyan, Jobstown BC, Dublin.
Team Manager: Anna Moore
Coach: Liam Cunningham
Coach: Amanda Spencer
Coach: Garry Kehoe
Coach: Ralph McKay
R&J: Stephen Kelly
Draws are available here
