European squad looking to join an elite group of gold medal winners

The Irish 2015 European Elite Men’s Championships squad will be aiming to join an illustrious group of ten Irish male boxers who have won gold at this level at the 41st edition of the tournament in Samokov, Bulgaria this month.

Jimmy Ingle, Paddy Dowdall, Gearoid O’Colmain, Maxie McCullagh, Paul Griffn, Paddy Barnes, Ray Moylette, Joe Ward, John Joe Nevin and Jason Quigley have claimed top of the podium finishes since the 1st European Championships in 1925.

Ingle and Ward, who will be looking to become the first Irish boxer to win double European gold in Samokov, were both just 17 years-old when they won topped their respective podums in 1939 and 2011.

Ireland first entered the tournament in 1937 in Milan, but no medals were secured. However, two years later, Ingle and Dowdall struck double gold at Dublin’s National Stadium, which was officially opened that year, in the last European Championships before WW2.

The home of Irish boxing also hosted the first European Championshps after WW2 in 1947 and O’Colmain went all the way, followed by a gold medal win for McCullough in 1949. Griffin bridged a 42-year gap in Gothenburg in 1991 and Paddy Barnes won our next gold 19 years later in Moscow.

Moylette and Ward, both ex World Youth champion, won double gold in 2011 in Turkey and Nevin and Quigley following suit two years ago. Ireland’s gold medal haul over the last five years has matched the haul over the previous 71 years.

Boxing at the 2015 European Men’s Elite Championships begin next Frday in Samokov, Bulgaria.

(Katie Taylor has won six European Elite gold medals)

Ireland’s European Elite Men’s Championships Gold Medal Winners

1939 Dublin
Fly: Jimmy Ingle (St Andrews, Dublin)
Feather: Paddy Dowdall (Army)

1947 Dublin
Heavy: Gearoid O’Colmain (T na C, Dublin)

1949 Oslo
Light: Maxie McCullagh (Corinthians, Dublin)

1991 Gothenburg
Feather: Paul Griffin (Drimnagh, Dublin)

2010 Moscow
Light-fly: Paddy Barnes (Holy Family)

2011 Ankara
Light-welter: Ray Moylette (St Anne’s)
Light-heavy: Joe Ward (Moate)

2013 Minsk
Bantam: John Joe Nevin (Cavan)
Middle: Jason Quigley (Finn Valley)

Irish squad 2015 European Elite Men’s Championships August 6th/15th

52kg Myles Casey (St Francis)
56kg Michael Conlan (Clonard ABC)
64kg Dean Walsh (St Joesphs/St Ibars)
69kg Adam Nolan (Bray)
81kg Joe Ward (APB)
91kg Darren O’Neill (Paulstown)
91kg+ Dean Gardiner (Clonmel)

Team Manager: Peter O’Donnell
Coaches: Billy Walsh, Zauri Antia and Eddie Bolger
Physiotherapist: Julianne Ryan
Sports Psychologist: Gerry Hussey
Performance Analyst: Alan Swanton
Cuts Man: Dr John Haughey