WITH his best performance of the World Olympic qualifier in Busto Arsizio, Jude Gallagher secured a coveted spot at this summer’s Games in Paris.
Having watched team-mate Grainne Walsh suffer a controversial split decision defeat earlier on Monday, the Newtownstewart man left nothing to chance as he systematically broke down the dangerous Shukur Ovezov from Turkmenistan in this winner-takes-all featherweight showdown.
After a cagey first minute, a big right from Gallagher unbalanced Ovezov, before a body shot saw the referee call a standing count as the ‘Tyrone Tornado’ took control.
With the first round in the bag, he wasn’t about to let up, Gallagher holding the centre of the ring and giving Ovezov little room to manoeuvre, landing hurtful shots to head and body before a wicked left hook led to another standing count.
All the 22-year-old had to do was stay out of trouble in the third round and his Olympic dream would be realised.
With Ovezov clearly concerned about taking any more punishment, he didn’t force the pace, allowing Gallagher to ease across the line – the Tyrone man immediately saluting family, friends and team-mates roaring him on from the top tier at the E-Works Arena, before embracing the Irish coaches in the corner.
“Ah it feels absolutely amazing,” he said, “words can’t describe what it feels like.
“Ever since I started boxing, my goal was to box at the Olympic Games... it was always in sight, but now that it’s actually come true, I’ve booked my ticket to Paris, it’s absolutely unbelievable.
“Throughout this tournament my faith and trust in the coaches has just grown from the game-plans they’ve given me. They’re top class coaches, and sticking to their game-plan got me over the line today.”
With Olympic gold medallist Kellie Harrington, Tokyo 2020 veterans Michaela Walsh and Aoife O’Rourke, as well as Dean Clancy and Jack Marley already on the Irish team bound for Paris, Gallagher takes the tally to six.
One final qualifier remains, in Thailand at the end of May. If performances in Italy are anything to go by, Ireland can expect to add a few more to the team by the time they travel to France in July.
Grainne Walsh will hope she has done enough to earn a second crack at qualification in Bangkok - though Monday’s split decision defeat to Aneta Rygielska will take time to come to terms with.
Despite a dominant second round, during which her Polish opponent was given a standing count and docked a point for holding, three of the five ringside judges astonishingly still scored that stanza in Rygielska’s favour.
And while it appeared the Offaly woman had done enough to seal her Olympic spot, particularly after a strong third round, the judges saw otherwise as the Pole advanced.
With 2022 world champions Amy Broadhurst and Lisa O’Rourke also in the mix at 66kg, Walsh could face another fight to earn a place at the next qualifier.
Unfortunately it wasn’t to be for Kelyn Cassidy either, his competition ending in narrow defeat to Kazakhstan’s Nurbek Oralbay.
The Waterford light-heavy has been outstanding in Busto Arsizio but, just as at last summer’s European qualifier in Poland, he fell at the final hurdle.
Of Monday’s three Paris hopefuls, Cassidy looked to face the stiffest test, with the reigning World champion standing in his way.
But, after a slow start, he forced his way back into the fight, troubling his opponent on the back foot and leaving the Kazakh with a bloodied nose by the end of the contest – only for the judges to give it to Oralbay on a 3-2 split.
