Regan Buckley became the first Irish athlete to win a 2019 European Games medal thanks to victory in Minsk this evening.
‘The Rocket’ registered quarter final win in the light flyweight boxing category to win Ireland’s first medal of any kind in the Olympic-styled continental competition.
The St Teresa’s man followed up his open day victory over reigning champion and Russian favourite Bator Sagaluev with a fantastic win over EU bronze medallist Martin Molina Salvador of Spain.
Buckley scored a 4-1 victory over the Spaniard.
The victory guarantees the light flyweight bronze at the very least – he will hope to upgrade the colour the medal to silver when he competes in the semi finals.
The medal was the Bray fighter’s first ever International senior medal and comes just months after he secured his first ever National Elite title – also at light fly.
It further vindicates ‘Rego’s’ decision to return to the amateurs after two fights as a professional and certainly proves the vest fits.
Meanwhile Aoife O’Rourke managed to win her first bout in the competition.
BOXING
Massive win for Aoife O’Rourke against Viktoryia Kebikava (BLR) on a 4-1 split decision in the women’s middleweight category
#TeamIreland #Minsk2019 pic.twitter.com/EV3A3B0Q94
— Team Ireland (@TeamIreland) June 25, 2019
The Castlerea middleweight moved into the last 16 and to within one win of a medal with victory over local fighter Viktoryia Kebikava.
O’Rourke took victory over the Belarus puncher via a 4-1 split decision in the women’s middleweight category.
Irish squad
Female
57kg Michaela Walsh (Monsktown A)
60kg Kellie Harrington (St Mary’s)
69kg Gráinne Walsh (Spartacus)
75kg Aoife O’Rourke (Castlerea)
Male
49kg Regan Buckley (St Teresa’s) (Bronze, at least)
56kg Kurt Walker (Canal)
64kg James McGivern (St George’s)
69kg Kieran Molloy (Oughterard)
75kg Michael Nevin (Portlaoise)
91kg Tony Browne (St Michael’s Dublin)
91kg+ Dean Gardiner (Clonmel)
Team manager: Bernard Dunne
Coaches: Zaur Antia, John Conlan, Dmitry Dimitruk
