History Hunt – Michaela Walsh Could Break Irish Title Record This Weekend
Michaela Walsh will look to become the most successful Irish Champion of all time over the coming week.
One of Ireland’s greatest-ever international boxers could become a 12-time National Elite Champion if she claims domestic success in this tournament.
The Belfast featherweight put her name in the history books this time last year when, alongside Kellie Harrington, she claimed a record-breaking eleventh title.
With two-time Olympic medal winner Harrington retired, the three-time Commonwealth Games, two-time European Championship and two-time European Games medal winner will look to go out in front.
If the 31-year-old does edge in front she will be the first sole holder of the record since Jim O’Sullivan won his tenth title in 1990. Kenneth Egan equaled O’Sullivan’s feat in 2010 meaning they were joint record holders until Walsh and Harrington joined them and then eclipsed them.
The Belfast boxer was first crowned Irish champion as far back as 2011 when she was just 17. She beat Dearbhla Duffy to become an Irish champion, she overcame the same opposition in the decider a year later. She then got the better of Joanne Lamb by a point in the 2013 final before a third-decider win over Duffy. Ceire Smith, Emma Agnew and Kelsey Leonard are also on the list of the serial European medal winner’s final victims.
To retain her crown and break the record Walsh has to come through a field that includes Leonard, a foe that has been closing the gap over the years and Irish International teammate Niamh Fay who makes the move up from bantamweight.
