OLYMPIC MEDALIST – Kristian Jubani jumps onto Youth Olympic Podium
Kristian Jubani is an Olympic medalist.
The Dubliner claimed Youth Olympic Games bronze at least in Dakar on Tuesday, delivering a dominant performance, stopping Iraq’s Almohaimen Takleef early in the second round of their Men’s 50kg quarter-final.
It was an emphatic start to a Youth Olympic campaign that had required patience from Jubani. After receiving a bye into the quarterfinals, the Crumlin Boxing Club fighter had waited a long time for his first bout since arriving in Dakar.
Dakar has been a significant focus for Jubani during a busy year of international representation. He arrived at the Games as the reigning European U19 silver medallist at 50kg, the 2026 Four Nations champion, and the 2025 European U17 champ.
.The Irish boxer controlled the first round with his speed, movement and accurate combinations, forcing standing counts before continuing to impose himself in the second.
The pressure told early in that second round, with the contest stopped and Jubani declared the winner, securing his place in the final four and guaranteeing Team Ireland a place on the podium.
Speaking afterwards, Jubani admitted the wait to compete had been long, but said he felt immediately comfortable once he stepped into the ring. “It was a long wait for my first competition of the Games, but I felt pretty good out there. I felt sharp and was forcing my opponent out of the way, so everything went well. I didn’t feel the pressure here today at all. I just went in and enjoyed it. I came in relaxed and in the zone.”
Boxing Team Leader and Coach, Eoin Pluck, who has guided Jubani through his preparations in Dakar, was pleased with the composure of his opening performance, particularly after such a long wait to compete. “He put in a very good, relaxed performance. The Iraqi boxer was a very tough opponent, and we had done our homework on him from the Futures Cup earlier this year. Kristian stopped his momentum with plenty of feints and those fast single shots that he does really well. He saw the opportunity for a couple of fast attacks in the first round and took them, landing some really good one-twos, and then it was more of the same in the second. The first fight can always be a tough one, whether it’s nerves or a little bit of ring rustiness, but he looked brilliant in there today. He’s off to a brilliant start.”
The Crumlin starlet is back in action on Wednesday, boxing his semi-final against Mexico’s Alan Jesus Ocampo Cano at 1pm, Irish time.
Boxing action from Dakar 2026 will can be viewed AT THIS LINK.
