THE crucial next stage of Ireland’s Olympic qualifier build-up is to take place at Ulster University’s Jordanstown campus, as the number one teams from France, Italy and Great Britain will take part in a round-robin competition from April 7-12.
With the complications surrounding international travel making it difficult to source top level international competition ahead of the European Olympic qualifier – which resumes in Paris on June 4 – some of the continent’s top talents will instead travel here to trade leather.
It could make for some intriguing action behind closed doors, especially with the likes of west Belfast’s Walsh siblings both due to face French opponents in Paris. Michaela is due to face Mona Mestiaen while Aidan takes on Wahid Hambli, with all approaching the last chance saloon for Tokyo 2020 after the World qualifier was shelved in favour of rankings allocation.
Last month an Irish team travelled to the Strandja Tournament in Bulgaria, the first competitive action they had seen in a year as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.
And Irish coach John Conlan says that, with the qualifier just over two months away, they can’t afford to risk any boxer’s preparation being impacted.
“When you do a risk assessment, the best thing is to bring them into a bubble, and we can do that at home,” he said.
“Jordanstown is fantastic for it because you have accommodation, food, medical staff are there, everybody comes in and gets tested then stay until they get their results. They get tested again the next day and then they start the camp.
“Everybody stays in the bubble, nobody leaves, and that’s probably the best way because it’s getting too close to the qualifier for somebody to come down with Covid. A small dose of Covid still takes three or four weeks to recover from – that’s three or four weeks you can’t take out of your preparation at this stage.
“We looked at going to Serbia, we looked at going to the Eindhoven Box Cup, we did a risk assessment and it just wasn’t worth the risk, so we’re bringing in the French, Italian and GB number one Olympic teams.
“You’re going to meet them in the tournaments anyway so you can’t get any better than that.”
The Irish team will remain in camp for a week after the other nations return home, but Conlan hopes the round-robin can help sharpen skills ahead of Paris.
“It’s been so long, the guys need to have competition.
“You can spar all you want but you need competition, being on weight, making the weight – that’s why we’re having a round-robin. We’re looking at potentially wearing head gear and bigger gloves so there is a safety side of it, cutting down the risks but trying to replicate it as close as we can.
“After the last camp [GB performance director] Robert McCracken gave a report and said it was the closest thing to competition they’d ever experienced. They were really happy with it.”
It was confirmed over the weekend that overseas spectators will not be permitted to attend this summer's Games, following a meeting of the International Olympic Committee, International Paralympic Committee, Tokyo metropolitan government, the Tokyo 2020 organising committee and the government of Japan.
This will be disappointing for any families or friends of athletes who hoped to travel out and lend their support.
But Conlan – who was at London 2012 to cheer son Michael to a bronze medal, and was an Irish coach by the time Rio 2016 rolled around – says it will have little bearing on the boxers once they get down to business.
“It would be nice to have your family and your support system there but the guys are on their own in the ring. At the end of the day, it’s one against one.
“The crowd can have an effect, you saw that with London where it was like a homecoming Games for us, same as the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow [in 2014].
“We had a lot of support and it was brilliant, it allowed the families and the club coaches to buy in and to go and enjoy that whole process, but it’s not going to matter when you’re in the ring. That’s the most important thing.”
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BOXER KYLE SAYS THANKS TO HOLY TRINITY COACHES WITH SPECIAL PICTURE
A NEW piece of artwork presented to the Holy Trinity club certainly packs a punch – especially because it was a thank you gift from one of its biggest emerging talents.
Fifteen-year-old Kyle Smith is a three-time Irish champion and can’t wait for the day when clubs are allowed to reopen after having their doors shut for most of the past year.
Throughout the various lockdowns Kyle has continued to work away out the back of his Glengormley home, honing his skills every day, and heeding the advice of the Holy Trinity coaches who have helped him reach this stage.
At the weekend Kyle and dad Davy presented a picture, carved from wood, of Kyle with Michael Hawkins sr and Michael Hawkins jr as a token of their appreciation.
The piece was crafted by Kyle’s great uncle Alan Starrs, a woodwork lecturer at North West Regional College, and was created over 120 hours.
“Mickey, Michael jr and all the coaches at Holy Trinity have put a lot of work into Kyle over the years and we just wanted to show how much we appreciate all that they’ve done,” said Davy.
“From a very young age Kyle has been totally dedicated to boxing - he has goals in his life and he doesn’t lose sight of them. Whatever he does, whether it’s school or sport, he’s very focused and works so hard.”
Two years ago Kyle represented Ireland at the European schoolboy championships in Georgia, and coach Michael Hawkins is looking forward to seeing what the next chapter holds once competition resumes.
“This is a lovely gesture from the family, one that we really appreciate,” he said.
“Even when I saw Kyle the other day, every two seconds he was away shadow boxing - he never stops. Since he started winning Irish titles, Kyle feels like he’s on top of the world, and the key now is to keep that appetite and make sure he stays there.
“He’s a young man with a big future.”
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Video footage of 2019 European Schollboys and Schoolgirls Boxing Championships in Tbilisi, Georgia
43kgs: Kyle Smith (Ireland) bt Sapeha Yaroslau (Belarus) (5-0)
