Team Ireland claimed 4 wins on the second day of boxing at the 77th Strandja Tournament in Sofia, Bulgaria.
A tournament opening win for Team Ireland’s Daina Moorehouse. She boxed her Last 32 bout against Mungunsaran Balsan of Mongolia and came away with the 3-2 win. Judges scored the bout 30:27; 29:28; 29:28; 28:29; 28:29. Daina is back in action on Wednesday, taking on fellow Paris Olympian, Maxi Klotzer of Germany.
Jenny Lehane has won her maiden 77th Strandja contest in decisive style. The 54kg Paris Olympian contested against Helen Jones of Wales, and won all rounds. She is back in action on Thursday, boxing for a medal against England’s Lauren Mackie.
Caitlin Fryers has recorded a dominant Strandja win in her opening contest. She took on Kazakhstan’s Anita Adisheva and comes away with the 5-0 decision. Judges scored the bout 28:29; 27:30; 27:30; 28:29; 28:29. Caitlin is back in the ring tomorrow, when she boxes England’s Kelsey Oakley in her Last 16.
Sensational first round, first minute stoppage win for Team Ireland’s Dean Clancy over Refik Enes Ciftci of Turkey in his Strandja Last 32 bout. The Paris Olympian is back on action on Thursday, boxing for quarter final berth against Uzbekistan’s Abdulloh Madaminov.
A courageous performance by Kellie McLoughlin against veteran, Gizem Ozer of Turkey. The two went toe-to-toe in their Last 32 contest at Strandja, with Kellie holding her own throughout all three rounds. The 5-0 decision, however, went to Ozer. Not to be on this occasion for Team Ireland’s Evelyn Igharo on the narrowest of margins. She contested her Last 16 bout against Paris Olympian and World bronze medalist, England’s Chantelle Reid, and won the first round. The 3-2 split went to Reid on a scoreline of 29:28; 28:29; 28:29; 28:29; 30:27
Nathan Ojo left it all in the ring in his opening Strandja bout, where he contested against reigning 85kg World Champion, Akmaljon Isroilov of Uzbekistan. The 5-0 decision, after a competitive contest, went to the Uzbekistan boxer. The bout was scored 30: 26; 29:27; 30: 26; 29:27; 30: 26, reflecting a third round point deduction for the Team Ireland boxer.
A valiant performance by Jason Nevin in his Last 32 contest. He boxed Yertugan Zeinulinov of Kazakhstan in a tight bout which ended in a 3-1 split decision win for the Kazakh boxer. The final scores: 28:28; 28:29; 29:28;
29:28; 30:26. Not to be for heavyweight, Jack Marley, in his Last 16 bout. He contested Brazil’s Isaias Santos Ribeiro Filho in a highly physical contest. The 5-0 decision went to the Brazilian boxer, scored 30:27; 30:27; 30:27; 30:27; 30:27.
In all, 209 men and 129 women are contesting the tournament, Europe’s oldest multi-nations competition. Team Ireland is comprised of 2025 World bronze medalists Patsy Joyce (55kg), Olympian Grainne Walsh (65kg), double Olympian Michaela Walsh (57kg) and Paris Olympians Daina Moorehouse (50kg), Jennifer Lehane (54kg), Jude Gallagher (60kg), Dean Clancy (65kg) and Jack Marley (90kg). Also named European medalists Louis Rooney (50kg), Caitlin Fryers (51kg), Niamh Fay (57kg) and Evelyn Igharo (70kg). The team includes boxers from clubs in 9 counties: Antrim (4), Dublin (8), Galway (1), Leitrim (1), Louth (1), Tyrone (1), Waterford (1), Westmeath (2) and Wicklow (1).
Ring A, Afternoon Session Results | Ring B Afternoon Session Results
Ring A, Evening Session Results | Ring B Evening Session Results
Day Three
6 Team Ireland boxers are between the ropes in Sofia on Wednesday, of whom 2 are making their competition debut.
51kg Daina Moorehouse has a quick turnaround and is back in action, boxing for a quarter final place, in Bout 1 of Ring B’s Afternoon Session against Maxi Klotzer of Germany. In Bout 4 of the same ring and session, weight-mate Caitlin Fryers boxes England’s Kelsey Oakley in her Last 16. And in Bout 6, 57kg Niamh Fay opens her account, taking on Turkey’s Asude Ece Ediz
57kg Michaela Walsh gets her tournament underway at Last 16 stage, boxing Italy’s Madalina Grabucea in Bout 7 of Ring A’s Afternoon Session.
Two Team Ireland boxers are between the ropes in Ring B’s Evening Session. 65kg Grainne Walsh gets her Strandja underway at Last 16 stage against Armenia’s Elida Kocharyan. That’s Bout 2. Four contests later, in Bout 6, 80kg Josh Olaniyan boxes for a place in the Quarter Finals against Dimeji Shittu of England.
Day Three’s schedule is available here
Watch
The Bulgarian Boxing Federation is expected to stream the tournament, live, on it’s YouTube channel
Links, per ring and session, are generally published on the day of boxing.
Morning sessions begin at 10am, Irish time, while Evening Sessions will get underway at 3pm.
Team Ireland
50kg | Louis Rooney, Star BC, Belfast
51kg | Daina Moorehouse, Enniskerry BC, Wicklow
51kg | Caitlin Fryers, Immaculata BC, Belfast
54kg | Jennifer Lehane, DCU BC, Dublin
55kg | Patsy Joyce, Olympic BC, Mullingar
57kg | Michaela Walsh, Holy Family GG, Belfast
57kg | Niamh Fay, Phoenix of Ballyboughal BC, Dublin
60kg | Jude Gallagher, Two Castles OBA, Tyrone
60kg | Adam Hession, Monivea BC, Galway
60kg | Kellie McLoughlin, St. Catherine’s BC, Dublin
65kg | Dean Clancy, Sean McDermott BC, Leitrim
65kg | Jason Nevin, Olympic BC, Mullingar
65kg | Grainne Walsh, St. Mary’s BC, Tallaght
70kg | Jon McConnell, Holy Trinity BC, Belfast
70kg | Terry McEntee, DCU BC, Dublin
70kg | Evelyn Igharo, Clann Naofa BC, Louth
80kg | Josh Olaniyan, Jobstown BC, Dublin
80kg | Kelyn Cassidy, Saviours Crystal BC, Waterford
85kg | Nathan Ojo, Esker BC, Dublin
90kg | Jack Marley, Monkstown BC, Dublin
Support Staff
Team Lead & Head Coach | Damian Kennedy
Coach | James Doyle
Coach | Jay Delaney
Coach | Ross Hickey, Grangecon BC, Wicklow
Coach | Paul Simpson, Saviours Crystal BC, Waterford
Coach | Brendan Irvine, UUJ/ St. Paul’s Belfast
Physio | Rob Tuomey
R&J | Stephen Kelly