MEDAL ALERT – Evelyn Igharo claims European BRONZE
Evelyn Igharo claimed Team Ireland’s first medal of the 2023 European U22 Championships with victory in Budva today.
The Louth native stepped onto the podium with relative ease to get Ireland off the medal mark.
14 time Irish champion, Igharo had too much by way of skill for Nurselen Yagettekin and beat the Turk by a unanimous 5-0 decision.
The win makes the Clann Naofa BC light middleweight, who only came back from a break from boxing for the U-22 championships, a two-time European medal winner. She adds bronze to the Junior silver she won in 2018.
It’s likely Igharo won’t be able to add to improve bronze to silver over the coming days as she looks to be the latest to fall foul to the IABA’s ‘withdraw if you draw Russia or Belarus’ policy. The Russian light middleweight was handed a straight semi-final and awaited the winner of today’s bout.
Nicole Buckley, Chantelle Robinson and Bethany Doocey also fought for medals on a busy day but lost to Turkish, Polish and Turkish opposition respectively.
Irish U22 and Senior Champion Josefien Betist did secure a medal but is fighting as ‘neutral’ in the tournament.
#TeamIreland's 70kg Evelyn Igharo has claimed at least a 🥉at the European U22 Championship, following a 5-0 quarter final win over 🇹🇷 pic.twitter.com/tVMqVeBy9Q
— IABA (@IABABOXING) November 15, 2023
Team Ireland
48kg Nicole Buckley, St Carthages BC
50kg Chantelle Robinson, Saviours Crystal BC
57kg Robin Kelly, Ballynacargy BC
70kg Evelyn Igharo, Clann Naofa BC
75kg Bethany Doocey, Castlebar BC
81kg Dearbhla Tinnelly, Clann Naofa BC
48kg Padraig Downey, St. John Bosco BC, Antrim
51kg Clepson dos Santos, Holy Trinity BC
57kg Donagh Keary, Rathfriland BC
60kg Rhys Owens, Erne BC
63.5kg James “Shamie” McDonagh, St Paul’s Waterford
67kg Gareth Dowling, Dublin Docklands
75kg Gavin Rafferty, Dublin Docklands
80kg James Whelan, Dublin Docklands
86kg Kian Hedderman, O.L.O.L BC
Support Staff:
Team Manager, Sean Crowley
Coach: Jay Delaney
Coach: Lynne McEnery
Coach: Liam Cunningham
Coach: Aoife Hennigan
R&J: Stephen Kelly
