Team Ireland’s John Donoghue has won World U19 Championship gold in this afternoon’s finals in Budva, Montenegro – and lightweight silver will be coming home to Wexford.
In all, a record 474 boxers from 67 countries have contested this bi-annual World Boxing Championships.
Team Ireland finished 5th in the overall team rankings behind Russia, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and USA, and ahead of federations including India, China, England and Brazil. Ireland finished 6th in the medals standings.
John was the 5-0 winner in a nail-biting 70kg final against Bibarys Ashirbay of Kazakhstan, which was level going in to the last. Judges scored the bout 28:29; 28:29; 28:29; 28:29.
John, of Olympic BC Mullingar, is a two-time World medalist having won World Junior gold in 2023, and the reigning European champion at the weight.
His path to the podium has included wins over Maksim Rybak of Belarus, Itzhak Avrutis of Israel and Armenia’s Artyom Stepanyan.
Kalib Walshe returns from the Budva with silver, following a highly technical lightweight final against the Edgardo Nicolas Peralta of Argentina, the reigning Argentinian and South American champion. The 5-0 decision went to Peralta on a scoreline of 30:27; 30:27; 30:27; 30:27; 30:27. Kalib, of Wexford CBS, and the European silver medalist at the weight, has had an incredible tournament, with wins over Greece’s Nearchos Petros Konstantinoudis, Artur Avetisyan of Armenia and Algeria’s Smail Sahraoui.
In all, Ireland will return with 6 medals from these championships: Louise Joyce adds World bronze to her benchmark tally of three European medals. She boxed her 48kg semi-final against tall, rangy Brazilian, Elissandra Santos, and the unanimous decision went to Santos. Louise’s path to the podium has included wins over Algeria’s Bouthaina Bouslash and Ciana Nonhphala of USA. John’s brother, Jason Donoghue, is also a World bronze medalist – having contested a hair’s breadth close semi-final against Spains’ Pablo Souto Macias. Jason has had an excellent tournament, with wins over Rostyslav Horodynskyi of Ukraine, Moldova’s Catalan Mustea and Akzhurek Kalabay of Kazakhstan. Louise, John and Jason are all of Olympic BC, Mullingar.
Team Co-Captains 75kg Jason Whelan of Dublin Docklands is now a World medalist. He comes home with bronze following wins over Turkmen boxer Toyly Bazarov, Italy’s Alessandro Bramerini and Nikolay Sabev of Bulgaria. Clonmel BC’s Kaysie Joyce is 70kg bronze medalist with keynote wins over Vladyslava Nalyvaiko of Ukraine and England’s Shannon Warren.
Team Ireland’s campaign was marked by mature performances from all members of the team, whether or not they achieved a podium finish. Caoimhin Connolly, of Twin Towns ABC in Donegal, but in a strong, agile performance where he won both the second and third rounds on many scorecards in his 50kg Last 32 against USA’s Refugio Medrano Veloz but was narrowly eliminated on an agonizing 3-2 split decision
Kayleigh Byrne left absolutely everything in the ring in her World U19 Championship quarter final, and bows-out on a dreaded 3-2 split. Kayleigh, of Gorey BC, boxed her 51kg QF against Nazokat Mardonova of Uzbekistan. Despite winning the second round 3-2, and the third 4-1, the decision went to Mardonova. Kayleigh’s journey Worlds journey has included wins over Patrycja Petriman of Poland and Shi-Chun Chou of Chinese Taipei, and a 2026 European silver medal. Two-time European medalist, 54kg Carley O’Herron of Rochfortbridge BC contested her Last 32 bout against two-time European silver medalist Zuzanna Golebiewska of Poland in a highly competitive bout, but it wasn’t to be.
Lee Largey Snoddon didn’t medal on the narrowest possible margin; a 3-2 split. Lee boxed his 55kg quarter final against Azerbaijan’s Nihat Gasimov, winning a tumultuous 1st round 4-1, but ultimately the judges awarded the decision to Gasimov. Lee, of Immaculata BC, has had an incredible tournament, winning against David Mlacic of Australia, Moldova’s Damian Grisman and Riad Isufi of Kosovo. While Grace Bailey bowed out at quarter final stage following a tough, physical quarter final against Harsika Harsika of India. She’d claimed wins over Timea Fábryová of Slovakia and Dunja Vuksic of Serbia. 75kg Cassie Henderson, a three time European medalist of Phoenix BC, Armagh, made her debut at World level at Last 16 stage against Daria Antipova of Russia. The decision went to Antipova in a tough, physical contest.
9 Team Ireland boxers are now ranked inside the World Top 5 in their respective weight categories:
- 48kg Louise Joyce| World No. 3
- 51kg Kayleigh Byrne | World No. 5
- 55kg Lee Largey Snoddon | World No. 5
- 60kg Kalib Walshe |World No. 2
- 65kg Grace Bailey | World No. 5
- 65kg Jason Donoghue| World No. 3
- 70kg Kaysie Joyce |World No. 3
- 70kg John Donoghue | World No. 1
- 75kg Jason Whelan | World No. 3
Kristian Jubani, Boxing Ireland’s 2026 European U19 medalist at 50kg, has been selected to contest the Youth Olympic Games in Dakar, Senegal, from October 31st to November 13th. He travelled with the team to continue his preparations, but has not competed in Budva.
The team is led and managed by Jennifer O’Sullivan Coffey of Sliabh Luachra BC, Kerry. The team is coached by Eoin Pluck, High Performance; Garry Kehoe of Marble City BC Kilkenny, Fergus Turner of Enniscorthy BC, Wexford and Aoife Hennigan of Swinford BC, Mayo.
Complete World U19 Championship Drawsheets
Number of boxers per weight class
Women’s 48kg: 21 boxers
Women’s 51kg: 23 boxers
Women’s 54kg: 20 boxers
Women’s 57kg: 20 boxers
Women’s 60kg: 21 boxers
Women’s 65kg: 22 boxers
Women’s 70kg: 16 boxers
Women’s 75kg: 13 boxers
Women’s 80kg: 6 boxers
Women’s +80kg: 6 boxers
Men’s 50kg: 29 boxers
Men’s 55kg: 37 boxers
Men’s 60kg: 38 boxers
Men’s 65kg: 45 boxers
Men’s 70kg: 35 boxers
Men’s 75kg: 28 boxers
Men’s 80kg: 33 boxers
Men’s 85kg: 22 boxers
Men’s 90kg: 23 boxers
Men’s +90kg: 16 boxers
Team Ireland
48kg Louise Joyce, Olympic BC Mullingar, Westmeath
50kg Caoimhin Connolly, Twin Towns ABC, Donegal
51kg Kayleigh Byrne, Gorey ABC, Wexford
54kg Carley O’Herron, Rochfortbridge BC, Westmeath
55kg Lee Largey Snoddon, Immaculata BC, Antrim
60kg Kalib Walshe, Wexford CBS, Wexford
65kg Grace Bailey, Castlebar BC, Mayo
65kg Jason Donoghue, Olympic BC, Mullingar, Westmeath
70kg Kaysie Joyce, Clonmel BC, Tipperary
70kg John Donoghue, Olympic BC, Mullingar, Westmeath
75kg Cassie Henderson, Phoenix BC, Armagh
75kg Jason Whelan, Dublin Docklands BC, Dublin
Support Staff
Team Manager, Jennifer O’Sullivan Coffey, Sliabh Luachra BC, Kerry
Coach, Eoin Pluck, High Performance
Coach, Garry Kehoe of Marble City BC Kilkenny
Coach, Fergus Turner of Enniscorthy BC, Wexford
Coach, Aoife Hennigan of Swinford BC, Mayo.