Northern Ireland

North's boxing heroes return from Commonwealth Games with record-breaking gold medal haul

Boxers Dylan Eagleson, Aidan Walsh, Amy Broadhurst, Jude Gallagher, and Michaela Walsh pictured after returning to the north from Birmingham yesterday. Picture by Hugh Russell
Boxers Dylan Eagleson, Aidan Walsh, Amy Broadhurst, Jude Gallagher, and Michaela Walsh pictured after returning to the north from Birmingham yesterday. Picture by Hugh Russell Boxers Dylan Eagleson, Aidan Walsh, Amy Broadhurst, Jude Gallagher, and Michaela Walsh pictured after returning to the north from Birmingham yesterday. Picture by Hugh Russell

Northern Ireland's five gold medal-winning boxers have returned from Birmingham following their record-breaking Commonwealth Games success.

Siblings Aiden and Michaela Walsh flew back to Belfast yesterday alongside fellow gold-winning fighters Dylan Eagleson, Amy Broadhurst, and Jude Gallagher.

The haul of gold medals was the most won by boxers from the north at the games, with the previous boxing record standing at two Commonwealth golds.

The fighters' golds were among seven medals in total won by the boxing squad in Birmingham.

Light flyweight Carly McNaul from Belfast also won silver after losing to India's Zareen Nikhat, while fellow Belfast fighter Éireann Nugent won bronze in the light middleweight contest.

Sunday saw the Walsh siblings claim their golds when Michaela beat Nigerian rival Elizabeth Oshoba in the featherweight final, while welterweight brother Aiden overcame Tiago Muxango of Mozambique

Meanwhile, Bangor's Dylan Eagleson clinched his gold in the bantamweight contest upon defeating Ghanian Abraham Mensah, while Dundalk-born Amy Broadhurst beat English fighter Gemma Richardson in the lightweight women's final.

Jude Gallagher, who hails from Newtownstewart in Co Tyrone, won gold after his scheduled opponent, Ghana's Joseph Commey failed a medical test.

The 20-year-old, nicknamed the Tyrone Tornado, also missed out on his semi-final clash after Canadian eoma-Ali Al-Ahmiadieh withdrew.

He returned to his home town last night to a hero's welcome, with an event held in his honour at Newtownstewart's Castle Inn Hotel.

Among those to congratulate the north's Commonwealth winners was Stormont's first minister designate Michelle O'Neill, who praised the athletes for their "tremendous performance".

She added: "I have no doubt your performances will inspire many young people to get involved in sport."