Amy Broadhurst moves to within one win of medal at World Championships
Amy Broadhurst moved to within one win of a medal at the Women’s Elite World Championships in New Delhi this afternoon.
The Dundalk light welter won her Last 16 bout in the Indian capital to ensure a happy end to what had been a nightmare day for Irish boxing.
Three Irish boxers were eliminated before Broadhurst took to the ring and moved into the medal rounds with a comfortable win over Armenian Ani Hovsepyan.
The Dealgan/Islington southpaw was bigger and longer, landing straight shots with aplomb in the opening round.
Hovsepyan tried to force the action in the second and did have some success up close but the big left hands of Broadhurst continued to rain in.
The European U22 lightweight champion would box smart in the closing round, keeping at rande to see out the win and she was duly confirmed a unanimous decision victor on scorelines of 30-27×2 and 29-28×3.
One of two remaining Irish boxers, Broadhurst will now face Indian home favourite Simranjit Kaur tomorrow afternoon.
The three Irish fighters on before Broadhurst had less luck.
First up this morning was Castlerea middleweight Aoife O’Rourke who gave a good account of herself versus Commonwealth Games champion Lauren Price but was beaten unanimously by the Welshwoman.
Ceire Smith then lost extremely controversially. The Cavan flyweight took her quarter-final versus Tsukimi Namiki on two cards while the other three were drawn. With the drawn judges required to pick a winner, all three went for Namiki, giving the Far East fighter a 3-2 split-decision win.
This afternoon, in a rematch of their European Championships clash, Belfast feather Michaela Walsh went up against Italian world champ Alessia Messiano. A scrappy fight, Walsh lost a 4-1 split, with a big finish from the Irishwoman not enough following two very close opening rounds.
Ireland have another fighter in quarter-final action tomorrow with Dublin lightweight Kelly Harrington also looking to guarantee, at least, bronze. She faces Canadian Caroline Veyre – a Panamerican Games gold medalist and a Panamerican Championships silver and bronze medallist whom the Irishwoman in the finals of the Celtic Box Cup last year.
Women’s World Championships, New Delhi, India
November 16th
Last 32
60kg Kelly Harrington (Ireland) beat Troy Garton (New Zealand) 5-0
November 17th
Last 32
51kg Ceire Smith (Ireland) beat Gabriela Dimitrova (Bulgaria) 3-2
57kg Michaela Walsh (Ireland) beat Lacramiora Perijoc (Romania) 4-1
64kg Amy Broadhurst (Ireland) beat Ekaterina Dynnik (Russia) 4-1
75kg Aoife O’Rourke (Ireland) beat Yang Ya Chu (Taiwan) 5-0
November 18th
Last 16
60kg Kelly Harrington (Ireland) beat Sarita Devi (India) 3-2
69kg Grainne Walsh (Ireland) lost to Noella Perez (Argentina)
November 19th
51kg Ceire Smith (Ireland) lost Tsukimi Namiki (Japan) 2-3
57kg Michaela Walsh (Ireland) lost to Alessia Mesiano (Italy) 1-4
64kg Amy Broadhurst (Ireland) beat Ani Hovsepyan (Armenia) 5-0
75kg Aoife O’Rourke (Ireland) lost to Lauren Price (Wales) 0-5
November 20th
60kg Kelly Harrington (Ireland) v Caroline Veyre (Canada)
64kg Amy Broadhurst (Ireland) v Simranjit Kaur (India)
Irish squad
51kg Ceire Smith (Virginia)
57kg Michaela Walsh (Monkstown)
60kg Kelly Harrington (St Mary’s)
64kg Amy Broadhurst (Dealgan)
69kh Grainne Walsh (Sparticus)
75kg Aoife O’Rourke (Castlerea)
Team manager: Bernard Dunne
Coaches: Zaur Antia & Dmitry Dimitruk
Physio: Muireann Harte
Photo Credit: Ricardo Guglielminotti – The Fighting Irish (@ThefIrish)
