The draw has taken place for the 2026 European Championships – and Team Ireland begin their campaign on Thursday.
354 boxers from 36 nations will compete in Loznica, Serbia. The participating nations are: Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, England, Estonia, Finland, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Russia, Scotland, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey and Ukraine.
Team Ireland includes 6 gold, silver and bronze European medalists at Schools/U15 and Junior/U17 age categories and is drawn from counties Antrim (1), Donegal (1) Dublin (3), Mayo (1) Tipperary (1) Westmeath (3) and Wexford (2). The Team’s Co-Captains have been named this morning as Kayleigh Byrne of Gorey BC, and Kalib Walshe of Wexford CBS.
The team is led and managed by Jennifer O’Sullivan-Coffey of Sliabh Luachra and Bernie Curran of St. John Bosco, Newry. The team is coached by Eoin Pluck, Val Hamilton of St. Francis BC, Ralph McKay of St. Paul’s BC Antrim, Sean Crowley of Erne BC. The R&J is Stephen Kelly.
Louise Joyce, contesting at 48kg, begins her championship at Preliminaries stage on Saturday, contesting against Ukraine’s Anastasiia Tiurina. 50kg Kristian Jubani benefits from a bye to the Last 16, and is first in action on Saturday. He takes on the winner of tomorrow’s meeting between Hungary and Israel. Team Co-Captain Kayleigh Byrne, boxing at 51kg, opens her campaign on Thursday. She’s between the ropes against Turkey’s Kubra Cicek in a Last 16 contest. While 54kg Carley O’Herron gets a bye to the Last 16. She’s first in action on Monday, against Lithuania’s Jelizaveta Jakimova. Leah Moore, contesting at 57kg, begins her championship on Monday. She’s gotten a bye to the Last 16 and takes on Dimitra Kapsimali of Greece.
Team Co-Captain Kalib Walshe has among the longest paths to the podium. He has a Last 32 start in Men’s 60kg, and opens his account on Thursday against Ilai Avraham of Israel. Grace Bailey is also in action on Thursday. She contests her 65kg Last 16 bout against Italy’s Swami Ferdinandi. Jason Donoghue, also boxing at 65kg, gets underway on Friday. He’s in Last 32 action against Slovakia’s Sebastian Chocholacek.
70kg Kaysie Joyce opens her account at the Championships on Saturday, taking on Romania’s Andreea Timeea Tapu in a Last 16 bout. John Donoghue, also contesting at 70kg, is first in action on Friday. He boxes a bout at Last 32 against Azerbaijan’s Rza Rzayev. 75kg Jason Whelan makes his tournament debut on Friday, at Last 32 stage. He’s contesting against Tomas Kupil of Slovakia.
85kg Sean Doohan takes on Samuel Montano of Spain in a Last 32 contest on the first day of competition.
The complete Men’s Draw is available HERE and the complete Women’s Draw is available HERE
Competition Schedule
The Opening Ceremony takes place this evening, at 8pm Irish time.
Boxing will take place, daily, from August 12th to 18th. August 19th is a rest day – all semi finals will be boxed on Thursday, August 20th. All finals will take place on Friday, August 21st.
Afternoon Sessions will begin at 1pm, Irish time, while Evening Sessions will start at 4:30pm with the exception of the second Finals session on August 21st, which will get underway at 7pm.
Day One
Four Team Ireland boxers are in action in Loznica on Thursday, in Last 32 and Last 16 contests.
Kayleigh Byrne, boxing at 51kg, opens her campaign on Thursday. She’s between the ropes against Turkey’s Kubra Cicek in a Last 16 contest. Ring B Bout 2
Grace Bailey is also in action on Thursday. She contests her 65kg Last 16 bout against Italy’s Swami Ferdinandi Ring B Bout 7
Team Co-Captain, 60kg Kalibe Walsh takes on Ilai Avraham of Israel in Bout 2 of Ring A’s Evening Session, beginning at 4:30pm. Over in Ring B, 85kg Sean Doohan takes on Samuel Montano of Spain – That’s bout 11.
Day One Schedule | All rings and sessions
Watch
The Serbian Boxing Federation is streaming the tournament live on it’s YouTube channel:
Team Ireland
48kg Louise Joyce, Olympic BC Mullingar
50kg Kristian Jubani, Crumlin BC, Dublin
51kg Kayleigh Byrne, Gorey BC, Wexford
54kg Carly O’ Herron, Rochfortbridge BC, Westmeath
55kg Lee Largey Snodden, Immaculata BC, Belfast
57kg Leah Moore, Cabra BC, Dublin
60kg Kalib Walshe, CBS Wexford
65kg Grace Bailey, Castlebar BC, Mayo
65kg Jason Donoghue, Olympic BC Mullingar
70kg John Donoghue, Olympic BC Mullingar
70kg Kaysie Joyce, Clonmel BC, Tipperary
75kg Jason Whelan, Dublin Docklands
85kg Sean Doohan, Dunfanaghy BC, Donegal
Support Staff
Team Managers: Jennifer O’Sullivan-Coffey of Sliabh Luachra and Bernie Curran of St. John Bosco, Newry.
Coaches: Eoin Pluck, Val Hamilton of St. Francis BC, Ralph McKay of St. Paul’s BC Antrim, Sean Crowley of Erne BC.
R&J Stephen Kelly.