Super Sunday as Adam Olaniyan adds third GOLD for Ireland

Tallaght super-heavyweight Adam Olaniyan completed a Super Sunday for Ireland at the European Youth Championships in Croatia.

In the final bout of the tournament, the big punching Jobstown BC man hammered his way to gold.

Olaniyan overcame Misak Tepanyan from Armenia to follow his fellow Ireland co-captain Ava Henry and Kyla Doyle in winning gold at the Intersport Hall in Porec.

Olaniyan earned the unanimous decision of the judges at ringside, with the judge from Serbia summing it 30-26 in favour of the Irishman, who he gave a 10-8 score to in the second.

In a special moment for the club, coach Amanda Spencer embraced her fellow Jobstown ace in the ring aftwerwards.

Olaniyan opened well, setting the tone with a powerful right hand on Tepanyan.

Another followed before Tepanyan shook to life, but Olaniyan was well in command in the eyes of the arbitrators around the squared circle.

Olaniyan sealed his place in the final thanks to a semi-final win over Oleksandr Sliesariev.

Earlier in the tournament, Olaniyan defeated Kryzsztof Zakrzews from Poland on a unanimous decision before stopping Baran Celik from Turkey.

In the second round, Olaniyan continued to tag the Armenian’s button. A heavy right to the ribs confirmed an utterly dominant round as Olaniyan moved closer to glory.

Olaniyan was well travelled in the latter part of 2023, winning golds at the Brandenburg Cup, Celtic Box Cup and Belfast Halloween Box Cup.

The Tallaght puncher was a gold medallist at the 2019 European Schoolboys Championships in Georgia, defeating home favourite Davit Stepulenko in Tbilisi in the 90kgs final.

Olaniyan kept the pressure on in the final three minutes and he was as sure and assured as could be, flicking out the right paw to salute the audience as the clapper sounded.

Olaniyan’s win completed a hat-trick of golds for Ireland on the final day of the European Youths.

Earlier in the day, Ava Henry and Kyla Doyle hoisted the Irish tricolour.

Dublin Docklands light-welter Henry overcame Yulia Stupakova to bag gold and in the session’s next fight Doyle, from the Whitechurch club, won the welterweight final thanks to victory over Amalia Tugui from Romania.

Louth southpaw Grace Conway had to settle for silver after going down against Ukraine’s Taisiia Pokusai in the flyweight final.

Ireland won a total of six medals in Croatia with Tadhg O’Donnell and Ryan Jenkins earning bronze.

Olaniyn, Doyle and Henry join Ireland’s previous European Youth champs Cathal O’Grady, Jason Quigley, Gary Cully, Michael Nevin, Amy Broadhurst, Daina Moorehouse, Niamh Fay, Bobbi Flood, Dearbhla Tinnelly and Cliona Darcy on the illustrious list.