HOPES are high that some kind of competition will return in the latter half of 2021 – and John Conlan would love to see the show get back on the road so he can start plotting a path to glory at the following summer’s Commonwealth Games.
The Ulster High Performance coach is currently helping prepare Ireland’s Olympic hopefuls at Sport Ireland’s Abbotstown HQ but, once the delayed Tokyo 2020 is taken care of, his attention will turn to Birmingham 2022.
Conlan has been Team NI’s head coach at the last two Commonwealths, leading them to two gold medals (one for son Michael), two silver and five bronze at Glasgow 2014 before returning with six silver and two bronze from the Gold Coast in 2018.
The progress of an emerging crop of young talent may has been held up by a year lost to the sport as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, while it remains to be seen whether the likes of Tokyo-bound Brendan Irvine and Kurt Walker – who both landed silver in Australia – is still amateur by the time the next Commonwealths roll around.
And Conlan is keen to run the rule over the contenders for Birmingham at the earliest possible opportunity. The Ulster Elite Championships ahead of the Gold Coast Games took place the November before, and Conlan is keen to get his medal-chasing team in place.
“Next year is the Commonwealth Games so we would like an Ulster Elites this side of Christmas so we can identify who that panel is going to be,” he said.
“Because of Covid it’s key for me to get the team as early as possible and then start working. With budget restrictions you can’t take in 40 guys and go to tournaments or training camps, we have to try and get the team selected and then target tournaments with the small amount of money available.
“It’s going to be key to get as much competition as possible because of the lack of competition in the last year. Because it’s basically another home games we’d be looking to hold another international camp like we did for Glasgow, inviting all our friends from Down Under in for a camp before to get good preparation for the competition.”
And Conlan also hopes to see the Ulster High Performance unit kick-started once things get back up and running, although the potential opening of club doors in May will be crucial for the entire boxing community.
“We’re trying to put things in place, we have a lot of plans, we have a youth and junior programme, a female programme we’re trying to get started, coaching development that’s ongoing.
“But the priority is just to get people back into the gyms for their mental wellbeing, and if we can get a bit of work with the guys then we’ll be delighted.”
For now, though, Conlan’s sole focus is on the European Olympic qualifier, which had been due to resume in London next month but has now been rescheduled and relocated to Paris in June, with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) opting to dispense with the World qualifier in place of a ranking system.
Indeed, a reorganisation of the qualification process has seen the ground shift slightly for those bound for the French capital, while having major ramifications for others.
Kurt Walker’s place in Tokyo is already assured as a result of ranking points secured, but for the likes of Ceire Smith, Carly McNaul, Niamh Earley, Christina Desmond and Grainne Walsh vying for spots at that all-or-nothing World qualifier, their dream is over for now.
And Conlan admits it was a bitter pill for that quartet to swallow.
“It was very difficult, to realise their Olympic dream was gone and they have to wait another couple of years. It was lucky for Kurt, but then Kurt earned his spot as one of the highest-ranked guys in the tournament through blood, sweat and tears.
“We’ve spoken to the guys about this being a one-off tournament, we’ve tried to prepare them mentally that it’s in their control. The work they’re doing now, and trying to get them international competition, putting them in that pressurised environment, is to prepare them for what’s ahead.
“The good thing is we know our opponents, so we’ve been able to work on those opponents and sometimes with them.
“It’s not ideal, and I feel really sorry for those guys who haven’t had the opportunity to go and have another crack at it. We felt really hard about Carly because she got one day’s notice to fly into a camp [in Italy], unprepared, to train for a qualifier two weeks later… that was a difficulty for her.
“She was looking for an opportunity to get selected again, the same as Ceire and Niamh Earley too. Unfortunately we have no control over what the IOC do so we just have to get on with it.”
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'HITMAN' HATTON TO TALK TO CLUBS ABOUT LIFE IN AND OUT OF BOXING
FORMER two weight world champion Ricky Hatton will be linking up with boxing clubs across the north tomorrow night to talk about the highs and lows he faced both inside and outside the ring.
Off the back of the County Antrim Board’s successful Positive Mental Health workshops with High Performance athletes and staff – run as part of the Belfast Boxing Strategy - Hatton is the next in line to share his story via Zoom.
And ‘The Hitman’ has no shortage of experiences to share.
“Ricky reached the very top of the sport as a professional, fought in some of the biggest fights in recent times and will be well known for his career in the sport,” said Belfast Boxing Strategy development officer Liam Corr.
“Ricky has agreed to talk with us about his journey in the sport and how he coped with some of the lowest points in his life following certain defeats. It is well documented that Ricky struggled with depression following his defeat to Floyd Mayweather jr, his fall out with his former trainer and his parents.
“Ricky acknowledges this and has no issue discussing it - in fact it is his view is that, if you are feeling low, it is good to talk about it with other people
“We will also talk to Ricky about the importance of resilience and staying positive through these difficult times before opening the floor for some selected questions on clubs’ behalf.”
This event will take place from 7pm-8pm tomorrow night, and is open to members of IABA affiliated clubs only, while boxers aged over 18 are also welcome to join. To register, visit the following link: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/lets-talk-positive-mental-health-with-ricky-the-hitman-hatton-tickets-147746899955
Zoom details will be emailed out prior to the event.
