Three Irish boxers seeded for Olympic Games

Reigning Olympic lightweight champion Kellie Harrington has been confirmed as a third seed for the Olympic Games in Paris.

The Dubliner is one of three Irish boxers seed for the Olympics with middleweight Aoife O’Rourke and heavyweigt Jack Marley also among the seeds.

While Harrington will be a third seed, O’Rourke is a second seed and Marley has been drawn as seventh seed.

Harrington is third seed after Yang Wenlu from China and her old adversary Beatruce Ferreira.

Harrington overcame Ferreira, the IBF lightweight professional champ, in the final of the Olympic Games in Tokyo three years ago.

“I’m heading out for my second Olympic Games, and I can’t wait,” Harrington said.

“It’s a big team, we have ten boxers, which is fantastic. The biggest difference between Tokyo and this Olympics is that there will be people in the crowd, and with that a lot of noise, so it will be all about us controlling our emotions.

“I’m glad to be part of history, as this will be the hundredth year that Team Ireland competed in the Olympic Games – so we are already part of history.”

O’Rourke is number two seed behind the experienced Chinese figter Li Quan. In Tokyo, Quan overcame O’Rourke in the opening round, but the Castlerea middleweight turned the tables at the Stradja Cup in Sofia earlier this year.

Marley is number seven seed in the men’s heavyweight division.

Ten Irish boxers have qualified for the Olympics.

Team
Kellie Harrington (Dublin) Women’s 60kg
Aidan Walsh (Belfast) Men’s 71kg
Aoife O’Rourke (Castlerea) Women’s -75kg
Daina Moorehouse (Bray) Women’s -50kg
Dean Clancy (Sligo) Men’s 63.5kg
Grainne Walsh (Tullamore) Women’s -66kg
Jude Gallagher (Newtownstewart, Co. Tyrone) Men’s -57kg
Jennifer Lehane (Ashbourne, Co. Meath) Women’s -54kg
Jack Marley (Sallynoggin, Dublin) Men’s -92kg
Michaela Walsh (Belfast) Women’s -57kg

Staff
Tricia Heberle – Performance Director & Team Leader
Zauri Antia – Head Coach
Damian Kennedy – Coach
Lynne McEnery – Coach
James Doyle – Coach
Jim Clover – Doctor
Lorcan McGee – Physio
Paula Fitzpatrick – Physiologist