GOLD RUSH: Top prize for Hayden and Myers at Euro Schoolboys
Bernard O’Neill – IABA Press Officer
William Hayden (left) and Jason Myers (right) struck double gold at the European Schoolboy Championships in Zagreb, Croatia today.
The Dublin and Galway duo, appearing in back-to-back finals, beat Andrii Grynnyk of the Ukraine and Dmitry Babich of Russia in the 65kg and 68kg deciders to take Ireland’s gold medal haul since the inaugural European Schoolboy Championships in Rome in 2003 to thirteen.
The marauding Hayden, as he has consistently done throughout this tournament, repeatedly stepped inside the longer reach of an opponent to deliver the big shots, particularly off his right, against the tall and rangy Grynnyk to have his hand raised on victory on a split decision in a fight the Dubliner dominated.
Myers stood toe-to-toe against Babich when he had to and battled it out, but the Galway ace also picked off some wonderful punches off the front and back foot en route to the top of the 68kg podium on a unanimous decision.
The final score after nine bouts between Ireland and Russia in Zagreb stands at 5-4 to Ireland. Hayden and Myers won two of those contests.
“William and Jason were magnificent today and totally deserved their victories. Congratulations to them and the coaching staff who has worked so hard here all week. We’re absolutely delighted with the wins,” said Irish team manager Paddy Gallagher.
Igor Khmil (Smithfield), Brian Barry (Riverstown), JP Kinsella (Monkstown) and Eoin Pluck (Arklow) were working Ireland’s corner in Zagreb.
Irish boxing will also be taking home four bronze medals from Croatia, with Francis Maughan, Cain Lewis, Paddy Collin and Jason Irwin finishing in podium positions. Team Ireland competed in 33 bouts at the 14th edition of the tournament.
Team Ireland are due to arrive home via Dublin Airport via Frankfurt at 11.05pm on Monday morning. All family members, clubs and media are invited to attend Monday’s homecoming.
European Schoolboy Championships Zagreb, Croatia
July 24th
Preliminaries (last 32)
44.5Kg Eoghan Quinn (Ireland) beat Kros Ermas (Bosnia & Herzegovina) 3-0
46Kg Steve Cairns (Ireland) beat Severin Yordanov (Bulgaria) 3-0
July 25th
38.5KG Jerome Lonergan-Gartland (Ireland) beat Krasimer Dzhurov (Bulgaria) 2-1
44.5KG Eoghan Quinn (Ireland) beat Matteo Ferraro (Italy) 3-0
40KG Thomas Donovan (Ireland) lost to Ignas Liaudanskis (Lithuania) 1-2
46KG Steve Cairns (Ireland) lost to Maksim Demenenko (Russia) 0-3
50KG Shane O’Gorman (Ireland) lost to Nermin Ajetovic (Serbia) 0-3
July 26th – last 16
41.5KG Ger McDonagh (Ireland) lost to Mikail Harmanci (Denmark) 0-3
52KG Paddy Myers (Ireland) beat Shilov Aleksander (Russia) 3-0
54KG Francis Maughan (Ireland) beat Rakitin Ilya (Russia) 2-1
59KG Jason Irwin (Ireland) beat Gramos Berisha (Kosova) 3-0
62KG Matthew Tyndall (Ireland) lost to Kofan Maksym (Ukraine) 1-2
76+KG John Sweeney (Ireland) lost to Timur Avdoian (Russia) 0-3
July 27th Q/Finals
38.5KG Jerome Lonergan-Gartland (Ireland) lost to Kiril Kladovikov (Russia) 0-3
44.5KG Eoghan Quinn (Ireland) lost to Cameron Whyte (Scotland) 0-3
52KG Paddy Myers (Ireland) lost to Anton Georsiev (Bulgaria) 1-2
76KG Thomas Doherty (Ireland) lost Vasily Kaverin (Russia) 0-3
54KG Francis Maughan (Ireland) beat Olekski Dentsenkov (Ukraine) 2-1
65KG William Hayden (Ireland) beat Nazar Karaka (Belarus) TKO2
July 28th Q/Finals
48KG Cain Lewis (Ireland) beat Daniel Salerno (Italy) 2-1
43KG Jonathan Hughes (Ireland) lost to Maksym Havryliuk (Ukraine) 0-3
56KG Patrick Collins (Ireland) beat Giuseppe Recuderoi (Italy) 3-0
59KG Jason Irwin (Ireland) lost Ageev Nikitin (Russia) 1-2
68KG Jason Myers (Ireland) beat Valentin Laurentiu (Romania) 3-0
72KG Jamie Edwards (Ireland) lost to Andrei Voevodin (Russia) 0-3
July 30th S/Finals
48KG Cain Lewis (Ireland) lost to Vlasiuk Maksym (Ukraine) 1-2
54KG Francis Maughan (Ireland) lost to Matej Hlaca (Croatia) 0-3
56KG Patrick Collins (Ireland) lost to Alexandru Badea (Romania) 0-3
59KG Jason Irwin (Ireland) lost to Giacomo Micheli (Italy) 1-2
65KG William Hayden (Ireland) beat Viktor Kashin (Russia) 3-0
68KG Jason Myers (Ireland) beat Ryan Dicken (England) 2-1
July 31st Finals
65kg William Hayden (Ireland) beat Andrii Grynnyk (Ukraine) 2-1
68kg Jason Myers (Ireland) beat Dmitry Babich (Russia) 3-0
Irish squad
38.5KG Jerome Lonergan Gartland (Clonmel)
40KG Thomas Donovan (Olympic)
41.5KG Gerard McDonagh (Glen) Captain
43KG Jonathon Hughes (Jobstown)
44.5KG Eoghan Quinn (St.Johns Derry)
46KG Steven Cairns (Loughmahon)
48KG Cain Lewis (Ballymun) (Bronze)
50KG Shane O’Gorman (St.Malachys)
52KG Paddy Myers (Sligo City)
54KG Francis Maughan (St.Marys Dublin) (Bronze)
56KG Patrick Collins (Baldoyle) (Bronze)
59KG Jason Irwin (Castleblaney) (Bronze)
62KG Matthew Tyndall (Monkstown Dublin)
65KG William Hayden (Crumlin) (Gold)
68KG Jason Myers (Titans) (Gold)
72KG Jamie Edwards (Crumlin)
76KG Thomas Doherty (Baldoyle)
76+KG John Sweeney (Ennis)
