2018 World Youth Championships – DRAW
The draw has been made for the 2018 World Youth Championships which begin in Budapest tomorrow morning.
Ireland are represented by a seven-strong team in Hungary and they tonight found out their paths to gold.
Sligo flyweight Dean Clancy is first up, fighting tomorrow [Tuesday] in the Round of 32. The European Youth and Junior silver medallist is in against American Asa Stevens, a Panamerican Youth silver medallist.
Leitrim feather Dearbhla Rooney is also in action on Day One. The European Youth silver medallist faces Thai Panpatchara Somnuek in the Round of 32. The South East Asian was a bronze medallist in her continental Youth championships back in April.
Kilkenny bantam Brandon McCarthy starts off on Wednesday in the Round of 32 facing Indian Akash Kumar
Wicklow light fly Daina Moorehouse is also through the ropes on Wednesday. The European Youth and Junior gold medallist boxes Spaniard Marta Del Arbol in the Last 16. Moorehouse defeated the same opponent in the quarter-finals of the European Youths back in April.
Irish men’s captain Jude Gallagher has received a bye to the light flyweight Last 16 and the European Youth bronze medallist will face Chinese fighter Zhao Rexue, an Asian Youth bronze medallist, on Thursday.
Belfast flyweight Caitlin Fryers, a bronze medallist at the World Youths in India last year, begins her campaign on Thursday with a Round of 32 clash versus Thai fighter Kittiya Nampai – a World Youth quarter-finalist last year and an Asian Youth bronze medallist this year.
Last to begin her campaign is women’s captain Lauren Kelly. The Offaly middleweight fights in the Last 16 on Sunday, facing French fighter Tallya Brillaux. Kelly is a triple European bronze medallist at underage level while Brillaux won continental Junior bronze last year and Youth bronze this year.
Kelly and Clancy are also qualified for the Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires this October and will be especially keen to mix it with the World’s best here before heading to Argentina.
It’s a young Irish team out in Budapest, with just Kelly, Rooney, and Fryers being second-year Youths – however, there will be big, genuine hopes that medals can be won over the coming two weeks.
