Record Breaking World Youth Championship Squad named

A record-breaking 23 strong squad of Youth Champions will represent Team Ireland at the World Youth Championship in La Nucia, Spain, this November. This is the largest team ever fielded by the IABA at a World underage tournament.

The Irish Athletic Boxing Association, as a member of the Common Cause Alliance, had grave concerns about contesting the tournament, given the IBA’s decision earlier this month to permit the participation of Russian and Belarussian athletes, and suspended participation on that basis.

Assurance has since been received that Russian and Belarussian athletes will not take part in the tournament. This assurance means the Team Ireland will contest the blue riband event of international youth boxing. A full squad of 2022 Irish National Youth Champions is attending, with the support of Sport Ireland and will depart on November 12^th.

IABA President, Gerry O’Mahony says “Ireland has a strong track record at the World Youth championships and this team has the capacity to build on that heritage. We understand the deep distress caused by our decision to suspend participation in the competition on the basis of IBA’s re-admittance of Russian and Belarussian athletes. We also understand why our decision has little currency with boxers and coaches in the midst of the extraordinary sacrifices made to become athletes capable of contesting at world level. The natural goal for a world class boxer is the Olympics; the IBA’s comportment, decision-making and governance issues mean that boxing’s long-term future at the Olympics, and by default, the prospect of our World Youths boxers competing at the Olympics, is deeply uncertain. The Common Cause Alliance seeks reform to enable that certainty.”

“This is an historic team, in terms of its size. IABA has traditionally sent World Youth teams of between 7 and 12 boxers. In this instance, in recognition of the fact we are in a transitional phase and that selection and assessment policies for underage athletes are undergoing review and redevelopment, we have opted to allow all qualifying boxers to contest the tournament. We view this as the most equitable option, from a boxer development standpoint” adds President O’Mahony

The tournament will be contested at 13 male weights, and 12 female weights. Team Ireland includes 10 female boxers as there are no current champions at 45kg and 75kg.

Team Ireland Squad:

Men:

48kg Thady Patsy Joyce, Olympic L, Westmeath

51kg Jack Harkin, Oakleaf BC, Derry

54kg Gavin Ryan, Ratoath BC, Meath

57kg Roy Farrelly, Avona BC, Dublin

60kg Lee McEvoy, Avona BC, Dublin

67kg James Donovan, OLOL, Limerick

71kg Bobbi Flood, Cabra BC, Dublin

75kg TJ King, Phoenix of Ballyboughal, Dublin

80kg Ryan Murphy, Neilstown, Dublin

86kg Nathan Ojo, Esker, Dublin

92kg David McDonagh, Olympic BC, Galway

92+ Bernard Cawley, St. David’s BC, Naas

Women:

48kg Georgia McGovern, Setanta L, Kildare

50kg Caoimhe Kinsella, St Anthony’s/Pats, Wexford

52kg Esther Lambe, Setanta L, Kildare

54kg Shakira Donoghue, Templemore, Tipperary

57kg Rebecca Kavanagh, Mulhuddart,

60kg Yasmin Meredith, Corinthians BC, Dublin

63kg Rebecca Collins, Baldoyle, Dublin

66kg Gabrielle Mongan, Whitechurch, Dublin

70kg Laura Moran, St Anne’s, Mayo

81kg Dearbhla Tinnelly, Clann Naofa, Louth

81+kg Cliona D’Arcy, Tobar Pheadair, Galway

Courtesy of IABA