Irish boxers guaranteed NINE medals at European Youth and Juniors in Hungary

by Michael O’Neill

Delighted to report that it was another extremely successful day for the Irish squad at the European Youth and Junior Championships in Keszthely, Hungary on Wednesday.

Dundalk’s Amy Broadhurst stopped her Hungarian opponent Marietta Kiss in the 4th round and is now through to her second successive European semi-final.Next up is Sweden’s Sofia Nilson on Thursday evening.

“Absolutely delighted! Happy with how I boxed and even happier to have landed my 4th European medal in the bag, I box Sweden tomorrow and hopefully I can change the colour,” said Broadhurst, who be hoping for better luck in Keszthely following her highly controversial defeat in Assisi in the 2014 final.

Also in the ring tomorrow will be Amy’s first cousin, Orla Garvey in the Junior event as she takes on Turkey’s Havanur En in the 57kg semi-final.

In the Junior championships there were three more wins  on Wednesday, the first of which was Chloe Callender of Ryston out boxing her Romanian opponent,Christina Borah 3-0.

Chloe told us later : “I’m delighted to have got this far in the competition. I fight Hungary on Friday for a possible silver medal, I am looking forward to it – thank you everyone for your support!”

Always difficult to defeat a host nation boxer on their home ‘soil’ but after her displays this week, if anyone can, Chloe can. She faces up to Gabriella Karolyi in what promises to be one of the bouts of the week so far.

World Junior bronze medallist Kelsey Leonard, from the Curragh ABC, and Lauren Kelly (St Brigid’s Edenderry) also won their last-eight bouts and thus they too are now guaranteed a medal.

Lauren Kelly took the early route to victory  stopping Croatia’s Annamarita Krali in the first and Leonard scored a unanimous win over Kamilla Finesz – yes, another Hungarian. Leonard now faces Ukraine’s World silver medallist Katerina Rohara on Friday.

Ireland is now guaranteed nine medals – two Youth and seven Junior – from this year’s Championships.

The quarter-final stage of the tournament has now been completed.

European Women’s Youth and Junior Championships

YOUTHS:

August 19th (Q/Final)
57kg Amy Broadhurst (Ireland) beat Marietta Kiss (Hungary) TKO4

August 20th (S/Finals)
August 20th Amy Broadhurst (Ireland) v Sofia Nilson (Sweden)

August 21st (S/Final)
69kg Saoirse Dignam (Ireland) v Sonia Sabiniarz (Poland)

JUNIORS:

August 19th (Q/Finals)
46kg Chloe Callender (Ireland) beat Christina Borah (Romania) 3-0
50kg Kelsey Leonard (Ireland) beat Kamilla Finesz (Hungary) 3-0
66kg Lauren Kelly (Ireland) beat Annamarita Krali (Croatia) TKO1

August 20th (S/Finals)
48kg Caitlin Fryers (Ireland) v Olga Vozniak (Ukraine)
57kg Orla Garvey (Ireland) v Havanur En (Turkey)
63kg Katelynn Phelan (Ireland) v Vittoria Decarlo (Italy)

August 21st (S/Finals)
46kg Chloe Callender (Ireland) v Gabriella Karolyi (Hungary)
50kg Kelsey Leonard (Ireland) v  Katerina Rohara (Ukraine)
60kg Shauna O’Callaghan (Ireland) v Olexandra Kharytonuk (Ukraine)
66kg Lauren Kelly (Ireland) v Gabriella Petrovics (Hungary) or Aysegul Sagir (Turkey)