Sport

LEFT HOOKS

BELFAST boxer Ryan Burnett grabbed gold at the 2010 Olympic Youth Championships in Singapore and this year the latest batch of brilliant young Irish fighters will be aiming to follow in his golden footsteps.

The 2014 World Youth Men's and Women's Championships will take place from April 10 to 25 in Sofia, Bulgaria. Doing well in the event is crucial as it is the only qualifying event for the 2014 Youth Olympic Games in Nianjing, China. The deadline for registration has been set to Monday, March 10.

Holy Family lad Burnett claimed gold in the 2010 Olympic Youth Championships, with Joe Ward (pictured) also competing in the event.

Both boxers qualified for the Olympic Youth Championships after winning gold and silver at the 2010 World Youth Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan.

* THE new year has barely begun but it's back to boxing business with a bang for Ireland's Elite schoolboy squad.

They returned to training on Sunday at the High Performance gym at Dublin's National Stadium, with all 2013 Boy 3 and Boy 4 champions plus Cadet champions at those ages also in action. Training for these grades will continue on every second Sunday.

The Boy 1 and Boy 2 champions start training this Sunday and every second Sunday thereafter. Training consists of two intensive sessions, from 11am until approximately 3.30pm.