GRAINNE Walsh got Ireland up and running at the final World Olympic qualifier in Thailand on Friday.
The Tullamore light-welterweight - who got the nod ahead of world champions Amy Broadhurst and Lisa O’Rourke for a second crack at qualification – was a comprehensive 5-0 winner over Ngoc Mai Hoang from Vietnam in her opening bout.
That moves Walsh into a last 16 showdown with Sun Hyo Hwang from North Korea, with a semi-final spot required to secure a place at Paris 2024.
Dublin light-fly Sean Mari will hope to carry that momentum on when he goes toe-to-toe with Pakistan’s Muhammad Faheem on Saturday. The winner takes on Malaysia’s Ariffin Muhammad Abdul Quaiyim in the last 32 on Thursday, as Mari eyes up one of the four quota places at 51kg.
Waterford light-heavy Kelyn Cassidy – who has fallen just short on his two qualification attempts so far – is also in action on Saturday, taking on Germany’s Delil Dadaev.
Also this weekend, Belfast light-middle Aidan Walsh gets his bid to reach a second successive Games under way against Kenya’s Mogunde Boniface Maina in the last 64 on Sunday. Either Youcef Islam Yaiche (Algeria) or Salvatore Cavallaro (Italy) await the winner on Tuesday.
Tokyo bronze medallist Walsh returned from over a year away from the ring to compete at the first World qualifier in Busto Arsizio, but the Holy Family counter-puncher – hoping to join big sister Michaela in Paris - came unstuck against Brazilian Wanderson de Oliveira.
In Bangkok, there are five quota places up for grabs at 66kg.
There will be plenty of interest in Broadhurst on Monday following her last-minute decision to change allegiance from Ireland to Team GB to keep her Olympic dream alive.
The Dundalk woman, who fought at 66kg in last year’s European qualifier and qualifies for GB through English-born father Tony, has been selected at 60kg – boxing at lightweight for the first time since winning gold at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham almost two years ago.
Qualification could set Broadhurst on a possible collision course with former rival Kellie Harrington in Paris, but first she has to reach the French capital.
Shetakes on Spain’s Sheila Martinez on Monday, with the winner facing either Terris Smith (Canada) or Bulgaria’s Aslahan Sezgin in the last 16 two days later. There are only three quota places available at 60kg.
Jennifer Lehane makes her third and final attempt at reaching Paris, with Puerto Rico’s Angelyris Lopez standing between the Mayo woman and a place in the last 16 on Tuesday as she bids to land one of the four quota places.
Super-heavy Martin McDonagh has received a bye through to the last 32 in Bangkok, where he will face Vietnam’s Doan Ngoc Minh Hieu on Wednesday. Cuba’s Fernando Arzola or Mexican Javier Cruz await the winner on Saturday, June 1, with a semi-final place required for qualification.
The last of the Irish contingent to step between the ropes will be light-fly Daina Moorehouse when she takes on Armenia’s Anush Grigoryan in the last 32 on Friday, May 31.
SCHEDULE
Saturday
50kg round of 64: S Mari v M Faheem (Pakistan)
80kg round of 64: K Cassidy v Delil Dadaev (Germany)
Sunday
71kg round of 64: A Walsh v M Boniface Maina (Kenya)
Monday
60kg round of 32: A Broadhurst (GB) v S Martinez (Spain)
Tuesday
54kg round of 64: J Lehane v A Lopez (Puerto Rico)
Wednesday
66kg round of 32: G Walsh v HS Hwang (North Korea)
92+kg round of 32: M McDonagh v D Ngoc Minh Hieu (Vietnam)
Friday, May 31
50kg round of 32: D Moorehouse v A Grigoryan (Armenia)
