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Serial Irish heart breaker Potkonen does it again- Broadhurst and Desmond exit the world championships

ork welterweight Christina Desmond and Dundalk lightweight Amy Broadhurst had to settle for a top-eight finish at the World Women’s Elite Championships in Ulan-Ude, Siberia.

The Irish pair were beaten by Finland’s Mira Potkonen and Turkey’s Busenas Surmeneli on unanimous decisions in today’s quarter-finals with at least bronze up for grabs.

Broadhurst lost 30-27,30-27,30-27,30-27, 29-28 to the No. 1 seed.

The Dundalk southpaw countered well in all three rounds and straightened the current European champion on a number of occasions, but the marauding Finn, who has medalled at all the majors, Olympics, Worlds and Europeans, deservedly advanced.

Desmond lost 30-27,30-27, 30-27, 29-28,29-28 in a hard-hitting 69kg contest with Surmeneli.

The Cork southpaw found the target with big backhands in all three rounds, as did the Trabzon native. The first frame was close, with Desmond receiving a bizarre standing count near the end of the stanza.

The Irish champion could be heard exclaiming “what?” after that incident. The second was equally as tight, although the Turk was slightly quicker to the punch, and Desmond won the third on the unofficial cards.

The Fr Horgan’s BC lefty sportingly held down the ropes to allow her opponent to exit the ring after today’s fight and admitted that the better boxer won – on the day.

Today’s defeats end Ireland’s competitive interest in the tournament.

Desmond and Broadhurst won two fights apiece en route to the last eight and took some notable scalps along the way.

Ireland used a four-strong squad which also included Ceire Smith and Michaela Walsh in Siberia.

The semi-finals and finals will be decided on Saturday and Sunday. Team Ireland are due to arrive home next Monday evening.

World Women’s Elite Championships Ulan-Ude, Siberia, Russia

October 10

Q/Finals

60kg Amy Broadhurst (Ireland) lost to Mira Potkonen (Finland) 0-5
69kg Christina Desmond (Ireland) lost to Busenas Surmeneli (Turkey) 0-5

October 9

Last 16

60kg Amy Broadhurst (Ireland) beat Aneta Rygielska (Poland) 5-0
69kg Christina Desmond (Ireland) beat Myriam Da Silva (Canada)5-0

October 8

Last 16

51kg Ceire Smith (Ireland) lost to Mi Choi Pang (North Korea) 2-3
57kg Michaela Walsh (Ireland) lost to Liudmila Vorontsova (Russia) 1-4

October 6

Last 32

60kg Amy Broadhurst (Ireland) beat Maya Kleinhans (Germany) 5-0

October 5

Last 32

57kg Michaela Walsh (Ireland) beat Carmara Fatoumata (Mali) 5-0

October 4

Last 32

69kg Christina Desmond (Ireland) beat Sandy Ryan (England) 4-1

October 3

Last 32

51kg: Ceire Smith (Ireland) beat Taylah Robertson (Australia) 5-0

Irish squad

51kg Ceire Smith (Cavan)

57kg Michaela Walsh (Monkstown, Antrim)

60kg Amy Broadhurst (Dealgan)

69kg Christina Desmond (Fr Horgan’s)

High-Performance Director: Bernard Dunne

Head coach: Zaur Antia

Coaches: Dimitry Dimitruk and Damian Kennedy

Jonny Stapleton

Irish-boxing.com contributor for 15 years and editor for the past decade. Have been covering boxing for over 16 years and writing about sports for a living for over 20 years. Former Assistant Sports editor for the Gazette News Paper Group and former Tallaght Voice Sports Editor. Have had work published in publications around the world when working as a freelance journalist. Also co-founder of Junior Sports Media and Leinster Rugby PRO of the Year winner. email: editoririshboxing@gmail.com

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