Ginty, Desmond and Gallagher ready for Youth Olympic Games
Team Ireland will finish up their training camp at the Hong Kong Institute of Sport in China today before leaving for Nanjing on Thursday ahead of the opening ceremony for the 2014 Youth Olympics on Saturday.
Click here for official Nanjing 2014 website.
Ciara Ginty, Christina Desmond and Michael Gallagher will represent Ireland in the boxing event at the Games.
The Mayo, Cork and Donegal trio qualified for Nanjing at the 2014 AIBA World Youth Championships in Bulgaria.
Irish team manager Stephen Connelly reports from Hong Kong that the squad are looking forward to getting the 2nd edition of the Youth Summer Olympics underway.
He said: “The squad are in top shape and the training camp has gone very well. The team are looking ahead to the start of the Games now and getting the tournament underway in Nanjing.”
Boxing begins on August 23rd at the Nanjing International Expo Centre.
Women will compete in three weight classes and men across ten weight categories in Nanjing. Seventy eight boxers – 60 male and 18 female – will be between the ropes.
Belfast light-fly Ryan Burnett claimed gold for Ireland at the 2010 Youth Olympics in Singapore. Joe Ward also represented Ireland at the 2010 Games.
Ireland Boxing Squad 2014 Youth Olympics
60kg Ciara Ginty (Geesala)
75kg Christina Desmond (Macroom)
91kg Michael Gallagher (Finn Valley)
Team manager: Stephen Connelly
Coach Billy McClean
Ireland are represented by 16 athletes in 7 sports, with 14 performance support staff.
Athletes as follows:
Athletics: Adam King (Hammer), Roseanna McGuckian (200m), Louise Shanahan (800m), Eoin Sheridan (discus), Michaela Walsh (shotput)
Boxing: Michael Gallagher, Christina Desmond, Ciara Ginty
Canoeing: Robert Hendrick
Equestrian: Michael Duffy
Golf: Kevin Le Blanc, Olive Mehaffey
Rowing: Eimear Lambe
Swimming: Laoise Fleming, Dearbhail McNamara, Calum Bain
