Continental Keen – Kian Hedderman targets European medal
Kian Hedderman is determined to pose for a picture biting into a medal at this year’s European U22 Championships after the disappointment of not competing ‘ate him alive’ last year.
The young Limerick prospect secured selection for the Irish team that contested in Budva, Montenegro in 2023 but exited the tournament without being afforded the chance to throw a punch.
The Treaty County fighter was the first fighter to fall victim to the IABA’s ‘withdraw if you draw Russia or Belarus’ policy and having drawn a Russian in the first round didn’t get to compete internationally.
Speaking at the time the St Francis fighter revealed it was ‘heartbreaking’ it was and how disappointed he was not to be given the chance to win a career-changing international medal.
Having retained his U22 title earlier this year, the National Senior Champion is expected to be picked at 86kg’s for the 2024 European installment and if selected to go to Budva he is determined to bury the disappointment of last year by winning a medal.
“Last year I didn’t get to go box in Europeans due to the Russian rule, that ate me alive me alive,” he tells Irish-boxing.com
“When that happened it really put me sideways. So every day I spent training was to get back there again and get back to those Europeans. Last year my intention was just to go to the Europeans this year it’s to go and bring a medal home.”
The European U22 squad has yet to be officially confirmed. The training squad have been working together since August 15 and Hedderman is the only 86kg operator in the select with suggests he will be travelling.
