ON FRYERS! Caitlin upgrades to SILVER at European Championships
Caitlin Fryers has stormed into the European Championship final in Montenegro this afternoon.
The Belfast light flyweight dominated Azeri Anakhanim Ismayilova to make it into tomorrow’s decider in Budva.
Following a cagey enough first round shaded 3-2 by the Irishwoman, Fryers took over in round two, pushing Ismayilova back and hurting her to sweep the stanza on all five cards – including a ten-eight.
With one foot in the final, Fryers continued to press in the third before stepping off as she sealed another unanimous round and a unanimous decision win.
The final cards read 30-27 x4 and 29-28 in favour of the 22-year-old from West Belfast who is enjoying a break-out year. Following a stellar underage career that included European Junior (u16) bronze, European Youth (u18) silver, and World Youth (u18) bronze, the Mac woman is now doing it on the biggest stage.
Fryers will meet reigning world champion Buse Naz Çakıroğlu of Turkey in the final tomorrow.
🚨🚨 Finalist Alert🚨🚨#TeamIreland World Champion, 50kg Caitlin Fryerss won through to the Women’s European Championship finals following a win over Azerbaijan
She’ll contest her final tomorrow afternoon🥊 pic.twitter.com/b8SHPfr63w
— IABA (@IABABOXING) October 21, 2022
Earlier today Amy Broadhurst and Christina Desmond also booked their places in the light welter and light middle finals respectively. Both were dominant with Broadhurst steamrolling plucky Croat Sara Beram while Desmond put on perhaps a career-best performance to defeat Italian Melissa Gemini
Ireland will hope for fourth and fifth finalists this evening as Olympic gold medallist Kellie Harrington takes on Kosovo’s Donjeta Sadiku at lightweight and reigning middleweight champion Aoife O’Rourke continues her defence versus Love Holgersson of Sweden
There was no joy however for Mayo minnimumweight Shannon Sweeney who was beaten by Bulgarian world medallist Sevda Asenova while Michaela Walsh was cruelly edged by featherweight nemesis Irma Testa of Italy.
