IRELAND’S young boxers claimed two titles at the European Schoolboy/Girl Championships in Tbilisi, Georgia over the weekend.
Dublin heavyweight Adam Olaniyan comprehensively beat Georgia’s Davit Stepulenko on a unanimous decision in Saturday’s final and Caoimhe Kinsella won 38kg gold on Sunday.
The Wexford fighter, who was making her European debut in Georgia, recorded an inside the distance win over Turkey’s Gulcan Turgul.
The Turk started brightly enough but Kinsella began to repeatedly find the target with her left and the contest was stopped by the ref in the second round after Turgul took a second count.
Cork’s Katie O’Keeffe and Dubliners Georgia McGovern and Ava Rose Lyndon had to settle for silver yesterday after dropping split decisions to Ukraine, Italy and England.
“All of the girls gave everything today and you really can't ask any more of them. It has been a fantastic tournament for Irish boxing and all of the squad here this week can be very proud of their performances,” said Jennifer O’Sullivan, Irish team manager in Tbilisi with Stephen Connolly.
Team Ireland claimed 2 gold, six silver and 10 bronze in Tbilisi in a record haul at this level for Irish boxing. The 18 medals improves Ireland’s all-time haul to 119 since the inaugural tournament at Rome 2003 where Carl Frampton won silver for Ireland.
Dom O’Rourke, President of the IABA, hailed the performances of the young Irish team and highlighted the enormous contributions of their clubs and club coaches.
“Our young boxers did their country proud and it is a fantastic achievement to win 18 medals. Our team managers and coaches out here deserve enormous credit, he said.
“Great credit must also go to the clubs and the club coaches for their contributions to this success.”
2019 European Schoolboy/Girls Championships Tbilisi, Georgia
August 11
Finals
F38kg: C Kinsella (Ireland) beat G Turgul (Turkey) RSC2;
F42kg: K O’Keeffe (Ireland) lost to A Kostrytska (Ukraine) 2-3;
F51kg: G McGovern (Ireland) lost to M Sannino (Italy) 0-5;
F64kg: A Lyndon (Ireland) lost to P Smith (England) 0-5;
Finals
August 10
41,5kg: S Tyndall (Ireland) lost to G Ayvazian (Georgia) 0-5;
F44kg: E Lambe (Ireland) lost to P Mishenko (Ukraine) 2-3;
62kg: M McCarthy (Ireland) lost to T Gugieman (Italy) 0-5;
90kg: A Olaniyan (Ireland) beat D Stepulenko (Georgia) 5-0;
