‘Proud but not satisfied’ Michaela Walsh wasn’t going let world champ steal her dream again

Michaela Walsh claims she was never going to allow Ornella Wahner steal her lofty dreams for a second successive time. 

The German history maker and reigning world champion knocked the Monkstown talent out of the World Youth Championships at the semi final stage back in 2015 and the Belfast fighter wasn’t allow it to happen again.

The Belfsat feather claims Ornella stole her gold dream and was delighted she prevented another medal nightmare via a world class performance in Minsk today.

“Since she won gold at my weight my eyes have been on her. I have been wanting to fight her for a long time,” Walsh, whose brother Aidan is also an accomplished boxer said after the medal winning victory. 

“I actually fought her as a youth boxer in the semi finals of the World Championships and she beat me by one point and she stole my dream of becoming world youth champion. I wasn’t going to let her steal my dream of becoming European Games champion so I just visualized the game plan and thankfully it worked.”

“I feel brilliant. I felt a bit surprised when I heard split, but that is the current world champion I just dethroned there. I tried to stick the tactics that the coaches came up with. They gave me a brilliant game plan.”

Walsh is now guaranteed at least a European Games bronze to add to her EU Championship gold, European Championship medal and two Commonwealth Games silver medals.

However, one of Ireland’s most consistent punchers in recent years is determined to add further gloss on her European Games innings by winning a shinier medal.

“I feel I am just getting better fight by fight and it was amazing to get that win. I have had a tough draw but it will make winning a gold medal [all the]  more worth it. I am in the next stage. I can move on now and get better. I am proud but I am not satisfied. I can celebrate now, but the aim is to win a European Games gold medal and the jobs not done yet.”