Golds Galore in Samoa at Commonwealth Youth Games
By Bernard O’Neill – IABA Press Officer
Stephen McKenna, James McGivern and Aidan Walsh capped a fine boxing tournament for Northern Ireland at the Youth Commonwealth Gates in Samoa today.
The trio claimed a hat-trick of gold medals from the 49kg, 56kg and 64kg weight classes on the South Pacific island.
Tiernan Bradley and Brett McGinty will be taking home silver from the tournament.
The squad won 17 of their 19 bouts – a highly impressive 89% strike rate – in Samoa this week.
Today’s medal haul ensures that the squad will finish in No. 1 position in the boxing medal table. The haul also lifted Northern Ireland into 8th spot in the medals table in all sports.
John Conlan and Damien Kennedy are team coaches in Samoa.
Commonwealth Youth Games Samoa
September 7th Prelims
49kg Stephen McKenna beat Steven Pius (Tanzania) 2-1
56kg James McGivern beat Beupu Noki (Papua New Guinea) TKO3
60kg Tiernan Bradley beat Eric Ngema (South Africa) 3-0
64kg Aidan Walsh beat Edrian Volcker (Seychelles) 3-0
September 8th Q/Finals
49kg Stephen McKenna beat Kieran McDonald (England) 2-1
56kg James McGivern beat Kutiwano Ogaketse (Botswana) 3-0
60kg Tiernan Bradley beat Aliu Ibrahim Abayo (Nigeria) 3-0
64kg Aiden Walsh beat Tevili Steven (Kiribati) 3-0
69kg Brett McGinty beat Ryan Scaife (New Zealand) 3-0
September 9th S/Finals
49kg Stephen McKenna beat Leichombam Singh (India) 3-0
56kg James McGivern beat George Payne(Australia) 3-0
60kg Tiernan Bradley beat Dalton Smith (England) 3-0
64kg Aidan Walsh beat Prayag Chatham (India) 3-0
69kg Brett McGinty beat Jack Gipp (Australia) 3-0
September 10th Finals
49kg Stephen McKenna beat Tyler Bilzzard (Australia) 2-1
56kg James McGivern beat William Stuart (Scotland) 3-0
60kg Tiernan Bradley lost to Thadeus Katoa (Papua New Guinea) 1-2
64kg Aidan Walsh beat Matthew Rennie (Isle Of Man) 3-0
69kg Brett McGinty lost to Mohammed Harris Akbar (England) 0-3
Squad
49kg Stephen McKenna (Old School) (Gold)
56kg James McGivern (St Georges) (Gold)
60kg Tiernan Bradley (Scared Heart Omagh) (Silver)
64kg Aidan Walsh (Holy Family) (Gold)
69kg Brett McGinty (Oakleaf) (Silver)
Coaches
John Conlan (High Performance)
Damien Kennedy (Toome)
