Amy Broadhurst: Irish boxer returns to form with gold in Bulgaria

Amy Broadhust, Christina Desmond and Kellie Harrington celebrate winning gold medals at the tournament

Amy Broadhurst, Kellie Harrington and Christina Desmond have all won gold at the 74th Strandja Memorial Tournament.

Welterweight Broadhurst beat Germany's Leonie Muller 5-0, showing a welcome return to form after losing in the final of January's Irish Nationals.

Grainne Walsh, who beat Broadhurst to take the national title, was beaten in the first round in Bulgaria.

The win should seal Broadhurst's spot in Ireland's squad for June's European Games, which are an Olympic qualifier.

Reining Olympic lightweight champion Kellie Harrington, fighting in the non-Olympic light-welterweight 63kg category in Bulgaria, also had a unanimous 5-0 win in her final over Keona Sam-Sin from the Netherlands.

Christina Desmond defeated Barbara Marcinckovska from Poland 5-0 in the final of the non-Olympic light-middleweight 70kg class.

Ireland's other medal came in the men's Olympic light-heavyweight 80kg category from Kelyn Cassidy who won bronze.

Earlier in the week there were defeats in their first bouts for Commonwealth Games champions Jude Gallagher and Dylan Eagleson, as well as Carly McNaul and Caitlyn Fryers.

Tokyo Olympic bronze medallist Aidan Walsh won his first two fights before having to withdraw before his quarter-final because of injury while Dean Walsh, who beat his namesake in the Nationals Final, was beaten in his last-eight bout.

There were 450 boxers from 42 nations competing in one of the most prestigious amateur tournaments on the calendar organised by the Bulgarian Boxing Federation.