British lightweights unhappy with Amy Broadhurst’s selection
Amy Broadhurst’s Team GB move has caused some upset among the British boxing fraternity.
Having changed allegiance from Ireland to Team GB in pursuit of her Olympic dream, the Louth star has been selected to represent Britain at the final Olympic qualifier, scheduled for Thailand later this month.
There has been mixed reaction to the move in Ireland, with some understanding the 27-year-old is chasing a personal lifelong ambition and others wondering how she could compete against her country for a medal.
The reaction across Brittian was initially supportive and the multi-time Irish champion has revealed she’s been made feel very welcome within Team GB.
However, there does seem to be some discontent among the lightweights she has been selected ahead of.
After a training camp in America, Broadhurst was picked in front of Shona Whitwell, who represented GB at both Olympic qualifiers to date, in Poland last summer and Milan last month, but failed to nail down a spot at Paris 2024, and Gemma Richardson, who lost out to Broadhurst in the Commonwealth Games final two years ago.
Neither have spoken out publicly but people around them have been expressing upset – albeit more toward Team GB than the Dundalk boxer – and both have shared those outbursts online.
Like Katie Taylor, Broadhurst’s father is English, and the talented boxer had spoken to GB’s High Performance director in the past. Indeed, their interest was known as far back as 2021.
Broadhurst, boxing for Islington, won the English Elite title at light welterweight in 2018 and has spent periods living in Britain since then.
The Dundalk favourite considered exploring the switch in 2022 when it became clear Kellie Harrington was targeting Paris and a second Olympic Games at 60kg – and that Broadhurst would not be considered for 60kg selection, regardless of results.
However, she moved up to light welterweight and dominated the division winning World, European and Commonwealth gold. Unfortunately for Broadhurst, 63kg is not an Olympic weight so a second move up was made in a bid to reach Paris.
She represented Ireland in the European Games qualifier last summer and was defeated at the final hurdle by Team GB’s representative, Rosie Eccles.
Walsh, who defeated Broadhurst in the 2023 Elites and also won the 2024 Elites, was chosen for the last qualifier and was agonisingly close to making it to Paris. It was confirmed in March that the Offaly woman would be handed a second chance to qualify.
