Amy Broadhurst: World and Commonwealth champion defeated by Grainne Walsh in Dublin final
- Published
Joy and despair - Grainne Walsh leaps in delight after overcoming Amy Broadhurst in the national final
World, European and Commonwealth Games champion Amy Broadhurst was the biggest name to taste defeat at the Irish Elite Championships in Dublin as she was beaten by Tullamore's Grainne Walsh on a 3-2 split decision in the 66kg division.
It was a close contest throughout with Broadhurst, who has moved up a weight category in order to try and qualify for the Paris Olympics, lacking her usual sparkle and was caught too many times by Walsh, a European bronze medalist in 2019.
Both women knew the result was too close to call and neither celebrated at the bell. When the decision was announced Walsh leapt in the air while Broadhurst dissolved into tears and was inconsolable as she left the arena.
This was one of 13 fights in the 2024 Paris Olympics weight categories, and another Commonwealth Games champion Michaela Walsh who was the only Ulster boxer to record a win.
Walsh showed all her experience, skill and fitness to see off a tenacious challenge from Kelsey Leonard at 57kg.
Michaela Walsh was the only Ulster winner in the Olympic weight categories
'This feels as good as first title'
"It was all about the performance. Obviously, it's a big year coming up and I stuck to the game plan my coaches gave to me and who doesn't like to win," said Walsh after claiming her 10th Irish title.
"This feels as good as the first one but for me this is just another tournament. I try and treat every tournament the same no matter if it's the Olympics or the nationals."
While winning a Elite title doesn't guarantee selection for the European Games in Poland in June, which doubles up as the Continental Olympics qualifier, the experience of Belfast woman Walsh and Tokyo gold medallist Kellie Harrington and Aoife O'Rourke, also national title winners, almost certainly will see them selected.
Walsh added: "Whatever comes this year, that's my main goal is to qualify for Paris, and this is just a stepping stone towards that."
Harrington strolled to her 10th title an unanimous decision over Zara Breslin in the lightweight decider but afterwards gave no media interviews.
Broadhurst's selection for Krakow, along with that of Michaela's younger brother Aidan who lost in the semi-finals, will remain in doubt.
Dean Walsh, conqueror of Aidan, went on to beat Belfast's Jon McConnell at 71kg but he still doesn't have the resume of Aidan that includes that Tokyo bronze medal.
Fryers beaten in 50kg final
Immaculata's Caitlin Fryers was defeated by Daina Moorehouse at 50kg in a unanimous decision which flattered the Enniskerry boxer but the division was missing Carly McNaul because of illness, and she has beaten both Fryers and Moorehouse which left the Irish selectors will more to ponder.
Other Ulster losses were William J McCartan at super-heavyweight and Clepson dos Santos at 51kg who faced three standing counts before succumbing to Monkstown's Sean Mari.
There was Ulster success in non-Olympic weight divisions as Antrim's Nicole Clyde (52kg), Eugene McKeever (67kg) and Commonwealth champion Dylan Eagleson (54kg) all won.
Eagleson played matador to Spanish bull Jorge Rogla Castanno to claim his first ever national title.
The stylish St Pauls fighter won every round against a game former Spanish Championships finalist.
Afterwards Eagleson confirmed the Paris Olympics is still in his mind and that a few "issues" in the build-up to the championships meant he couldn't move up to 57kg which is the closest Olympic weight and where Commonwealth gold medal winner Jude Gallagher missed out this week because of injury.
Bangor man Dylan Eagleson beat former Spanish Elite finalist Jorge Rogla Castanno in the non-Olympic 54kg division
There is still a lot of uncertainty surrounding what will happen this year.
The women's world championships are scheduled for New Delhi in March and the men's in Tashkent in May.
Both come under the control of the International Boxing Association, which is still suspended by the International Olympic Committee.
In December the IBA under the leadership of Russian Umar Kremlev voted to allow Russian and Belarusian boxers back into competition, against the will of the IOC and the vast majority of other international sporting federations because of the ongoing war in Ukraine.
Some countries are already talking about a boycott. There is no decision yet as to whether Ireland will send a team to either competition and that could be taken by the Irish government and not the IABA.
It angered the IOC so much that for the first time they issued a statement shortly before Christmas indicating boxing in Paris could be in doubt because of the actions of the IBA. The sport is currently not on the list for Los Angeles in 2028.
Boxing at the European Games comes under the control of the IOC and will be where a large number of places for Paris will be won.
By June, hopefully, the focus will be inside the ring and not issues outside of it.
After these results, Irish selection will be interesting.
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