MEDAL ALERT – Michaela Walsh makes Irish boxing history in Birmingham
Michaela Walsh made Irish boxing history again today.
One-half of the only brother and sister duo ever to box at the same Olympics [Aidan Walsh being the other half] became Team NI’s most successful ever Commonwealth Games fighter.
The Belfast talent eclipsed legends like Michael Conlan and Paddy Barnes by becoming a three-time Commonwealth Games medal winner.
Walsh achieved the feat thanks to a relatively routine quarter-final victory in Birmingham. The World #5 won every round against Keamogetse Sadie Kenos to set up a Saturday semi, where she fights Phiwokuhle Sbusisiwe Mnguni of South Africa.
🚨🚨 Medal Alert🚨🚨
— IABA (@IABABOXING) August 4, 2022
57kg Michaela Walsh has wonher Birmingham 2022 quarter final against Botswana, 5-0.
She is guaranteed at least a 🥉and boxes her semi final on Saturday.
This is Team NI’s fifth medal of the CWG. pic.twitter.com/pURhrTAcfc
While becoming a three-time Commonwealth Games medal is a mammoth achievement it won’t be one Walsh will reflect on positively just yet.
The Emerald BC featherweight will be in a gold or nothing frame of mind, the fighter who lost in the 2014 flyweight final to Nicola Adams and the 2018 featherweight final to Skye Nicholson has been vocal about her desire to go one step further in 2022, something she will look to do over the weekend.
The victory saw the 29-year-old join Dylan Eagleson, Carly McMaul, Eireann Nugent and Jude Gallagher on the list of 2022 Commonwealth medal winners.
Team NI have three more medal fights to look forward to today.
Tokyo bronze medallist 71kg Aidan Walsh, a 2018 Commonwealth Games silver medallist, returns to the ring for his bronze battle, against England’s Mohammed Harris Akbar at 2.30 pm.
51kg Clepson dos Santos Paiva is also back in action – he boxes his last eight match against Wales’ Jake Dodd at 6:00 pm.
63kg World Champion, St. Bronagh’s Amy Broadhurst, contesting the Games at 60kg, meets Zambia in her final eight clash at 7.30 pm.
N.I Commonwealth Team:
48kg Nicole Clyde, Antrim BC
50kg Carly McNaul, Ormeau Rd BC
51kg Clepson Paiva, Holy Trinity BC
54kg Dylan Eagleson, St. Paul’s BC
57kg Michaela Walsh, Emerald BC
57kg Jude Gallagher, Two Castles BC
60kg Amy Broadhurst, St. Bronagh’s BC
63.5kg JP Hale, Star ABC
67kg Eugene McKeever, Holy Family BC, Drogheda
70kg Eireann Nugent, Immaculata BC
71kg Aidan Walsh, Emerald BC
75kg Jake Tucker, Emerald BC
High Performance Director: John Conlan
Head Coach: Damian Kennedy
Coaches:
Liam Corr
Rory McShane
Jay Delaney
Support Team
Damian Martin
Lorcan McGee
