LAST UPDATE | 30 Jun 2023
FIVE IN FOR Paris 2024, five European Games medals, and three Irish boxers competing for gold on Saturday and Sunday.
Today, Dublin’s Jack Marley and Roscommon’s Aoife O’Rourke joined the already-qualified Kellie Harrington, Michaela Walsh and Dean Clancy in punching their tickets for next summer’s Olympics at the first time of asking — while there will be two further opportunities at theoretically easier ‘world’ qualifying events next year for those who missed out this week.
Two-time European champion O’Rourke needed to reach the middleweight (75kg) final in order to become a two-time Olympian just like Harrington and Walsh. She did so at the expense of Polish rival Elzbieta Wojcik who she had beaten in last year’s European Championships decider.
Dublin youngster Marley was in a similar boat, requiring a heavyweight (92kg) semi-final victory to book his seat on the plane next summer. Like O’Rourke, the 20-year-old was forced to come from behind to seal the deal, but he managed to record a sensational defeat of decorated Spaniard Enmanuel Reyes Pla to reach his first Olympics.
Kellie Harrington had already earned her right to defend her Olympic lightweight title by reaching the 60kg semis in Krakow but she went one further this afternoon, easing past Rio 2016 queen and current professional Estelle Mossely of France to reach the final.
The campaigns of Sligo’s Dean Clancy and Belfast’s Michaela Walsh, meanwhile, reached their conclusions at the fists of French opposition at the semi-final stage, but both Irish competitors had already qualified for Paris.
O’Rourke concluded a more than satisfying day for Zaur Antia’s Irish team, besting home-country hero Wojcik on a 3-2 split decision to silence the Polish crowd and take one of the two available Olympic berths at 75kg.
The other went to France’s 2022 World Championship bronze medallist Davina Michel, against whom O’Rourke will square off for another European gold on Sunday (12:30pm Irish time).
In an abrasive encounter, the Castlerea woman dropped the first round to Wojcik 4-1 but stepped on the gas to take the second on the same score, leaving the verdict totally up for grabs going into the third.
O’Rourke did enough to edge that final round 3-2, breaking Polish hearts and booking her spot at a second Olympics.
Dublin young gun Marley, too, found himself in a 4-1 hole after his opener with Spain’s former World Championship and European medallist Enmanuel Reyes Pla, but dug out a famous win to qualify for Paris and reach the 92kg final.
The 20-year-old Sallynoggin man, a product of Monkstown BC and a European U22 champion last year, was dealt a cruel hand by the judges in the first round but, like O’Rourke, he stormed into the ascendancy in the second to win it by the same score.
It was the Dubliner who seized his moment, dominating the last three minutes to sweep the round and join Dean Clancy in becoming a first-time Olympian.
Marley, who had already become the first Irish heavyweight in 76 years to secure a major international medal, will fight for European gold on Saturday (6:30pm) against Italy’s reigning European champion and two-time World Championship silver medallist Aziz Abbes Mouhiidine.
In the first Irish bout of the afternoon, the already Paris-bound Kellie Harrington also reached another European final as she defeated her fellow Olympic champion and current professional boxer Estelle Mossely of France on a unanimous decision.
In a battle between the Rio and Tokyo gold medallists at lightweight (60kg), Harrington was imperious, powering through to Saturday’s final (5:15pm) against Natalia Shadrina of Serbia.
The reigning Olympic champ started strongly, taking the first round 4-1. Harrington, 33, swept the second, all but assuring her place in Saturday’s decider, before taking her foot off the gas in the third — and still winning it 3-2.
Mosselly turned professional in 2018 and has a 11-1 record. She returned to the amateur ranks earlier this year for a shot at a home Paris Games.
There was disappointment, however, for Sligo breakout Dean Clancy, who bowed out at 63.5kg at the semi-final stage.
Clancy, 21, was beaten on a unanimous decision by France’s three-time world champion Sofiane Oumiha, albeit all three rounds were highly competitive.
The Irishman had already assured himself of a spot at his first Olympic Games next summer and departs Poland with bronze, his first major international medal in the adult ranks.
Meanwhile, Michaela Walsh was beaten in her 57kg semi-final bout by France’s Amina Zidani.
Walsh had already qualified for Paris after beating Denmark’s Melissa Mortensen on Wednesday, a result which also secured the Belfast fighter a bronze medal in Poland.
Walsh bowed out with a 4-1 split decision defeat in a close contest with Zidani.
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