The 12 Irish Fighters looking to make Poland a Paris Pit Stop
12 Team Ireland fighter’s landed in Poland hoping it’s a Paris pit stop.
Kelyn Cassidy, Aoife O’Rourke, Jennifer Lehane, Kellie Harrington, Sean Mari, Jack Marley, Daine Moorehoue, Dean Clancy, Amy Broadhurst, Jude Gallagher, Michaela Walsh and Dean Walsh will represent Ireland at the 2023 European Games, which will act as a European qualifier.
The tournament gloves off this weekend but the Irish team are in the games village and will partake in the opening ceremony tomorrow.
Ireland is one of the highest-ranked countries going into the boxing tournament, with the team boasting multiple world and European medallists, as well as Olympic Champion, Kellie Harrington. This is an Olympic Qualification event. A total of 44 places at Paris 2024 are available at these Games. In all weights except 75kg, 51kg and 92kg, a semi-final finish will win qualification. In these three weights, a final finish is required.
Team Ireland is as follows:
50kg Daina Moorehouse; Bray, Co. Wicklow.
Paris Scholar, Moorehouse, is emerging into the Elite ranks following a glittering underage career, which included European Youth & Junior golds. She holds multiple Irish titles. Most recently won silver at the Usti nad Labem Grand Prix, boxing for Team Ireland
54kg Jennifer Lehane, Asbourne, Co. Meath
Lehane is a teacher who took a career break to focus, full time, on her Olympic dream. Jenny, of Dublin City University BC, is a former Irish Elite champion at 57kg and the 2022 Usti nad Labem Grand Prix gold medalist.
57kg Michaela Walsh, Belfast, Co. Antrim
Walsh is Tokyo Olympian, the reigning Commonwealth Games champion and the 2022 European Bronze medalist. A member of Emerald BC, she is the 2023 Usti na Labem champion. She is zero-ing in on becoming a double Olympian.
60kg Kellie Harrington, Dublin
Harrington is the reigning lightweight Olympic Champion and, in the last 12 months, has added a European title, and golds at Strandja and Usti to her impressive list of achievements. Kellie has her sights set on Paris.
66kg Amy Broadhurst, Dundalk, Co. Louth
Broadhurst is a World Champion at 63kg, the reigning lightweight Commonwealth Games champion, and the 2022 European champion at 66kg. This year, she’s focused on her Olympic dream with gold at the 74th Strandja International Tournament.
75kg Aoife O’Rourke, Castlerea Co. Roscommon
O’Rourke, who boxes out of Olympic BC, Galway, is a Tokyo Olympian who became a double European medalist in 2022.
51kg Sean Mari, Rathfarnham, Co. Dublin
Mari is of Monkstown BC, Dublin, and is the reigning Elite champion, as well as a World Military Games bronze medalist, a European Championship quarter finalists, and 2022 Hajrulahovic Memorial champion
57kg Jude Gallagher, Newtownstewart Co Tyrone
Gallagher, of Two Castles ABC, is the current Commonwealth Games champion at the weight, and a 2018 World Youth Championship bronze medallist.
63.5kg Dean Clancy, Sligo, Co. Sligo
Clancy is Ireland’s 2023 Elite champion. He is of Sean McDermott BC, and in May, won gold at the Usti nad Labem Grand Prix. He is the 2022 Hajrulahovic Memorial champion, and 2022 Nicolae Linca Golden Belt Tournament quarter finalist.
71kg Dean Walsh, Wexford, Co. Wexford
Walsh, of St. Joseph’s/St. Ibar’s, is a 5-time Irish Elite champion across two weights. He is also a European bronze medalist. Dean was a quarter-finalists at this year’s Usti nad Labem Grand Prix and 74th Strandja International Tournament.
80kg Kelyn Cassidy, Ballybeg, Waterford.
Cassidy, of Saviours Crystal BC, is the reigning Elite champion, this year’s Usti nad Labem Grand Prix Champion, and a previous Men’s World Championship quarter finalist. He also claimed bronze at this year’s 74th Strandja International Tournament.
92kg Jack Marley, Sallynoggin, Co. Dublin
Marley, who is Sean’s clubmate at Monkstown BC, is a European U22 champion and reigning Irish Elite champ, He also came home from May’s Usti nad Labem Grand Prix with gold.
Head Coach, Zauri Antia, says “This is an exceptional team with enormous potential. Their preparations in training camps and competitions this year have been excellent and I have great faith in every member of the team to perform to the very best of their ability at the European Games, up-holding Boxing as Ireland’s most successful Olympic sport”
The team will fly to Poland on June 20th and boxing will take place at the Nowy Targ Arena from June 23rd to July 2nd. An estimated 350 athletes from across Europe will box for a place in Paris.
Team Ireland Chef de Mission for Krakow 2023, Gavin Noble said,
“We are incredibly proud of what our boxers have achieved over the past number of years, and we are confident they are entering this important competition in good shape. Boxing is our most successful Olympic and European Games sport, and we are hopeful to have some good news stories coming out of Nowy Targ.”
Rightsholders for the European Games, RTÉ, will be releasing details shortly of where you can keep up with the Irish in action across their platforms.
Competition Schedule
