Sport

Ireland squad heads to Chicago with high hopes

Boxing/World Amateur Championships: Arguably the most undervalued of our sports, boxing again hopes to put athletes on the podium…

Johnny Watterson reports
Tue Oct 16 2007 - 01:00

Boxing/World Amateur Championships: Arguably the most undervalued of our sports, boxing again hopes to put athletes on the podium later this month at the World Championships in Chicago. Not only does fighting at the World Championships represent the biggest event of the boxing year it holds the added significance of qualification for the Beijing Olympics next year for the 11-man team, making this year's contest particularly piquant.

With more than 120 countries involved, little is ever guaranteed, although, Ireland have a number of competitors in the team who have the ability to get to the quarter-finals (Olympic qualification mark) and beyond.

Six Irish boxers made it that far at the last staging of the event in Belfast and it will be seen as a success if three can make it to the Olympics in 2008. The top eight in all divisions qualify except in the heavyweight and super heavyweight class, where only the top four will go through to China.

But there was nothing except hope and confidence floating around at the National Stadium yesterday as the team got together for the final time before departing for the USA.

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Middleweight Darren Sutherland may be in one of the most competitive divisions but the former DCU student is the EU Champion (all European countries except Russia) and departed last time at the quarter-final stage, courtesy of the eventual winner. "The preparation has gone really well. We've had two good camps, one in France and we've just come back from Germany. I had a cut in France but it's healed well and I finished off with a little spar in Germany and got through that no problem," said Sutherland.

"The weight is good. I'm the best shape I've ever been in. I was at the World Championships in 2005 and I was a little inexperienced. I performed well out there, getting to the quarter-finals and it took the eventual winner to take me out. I'd never fought against a Russian before.

"I feel that two years on I'm more experienced, I'm stronger and I want it more than ever. I feel that there is no reason that I can't go out and go one better. My goal going to the World Championships is to finish in the medals."

Light heavyweight Kenneth Egan also harbours real ambitions of a medal. The Neilstown fighter is also EU champion and won bronze at the European Championships in Bulgaria last year. He has consistently shown form at the highest level, making it to the quarter-finals of the World Championships three times.

"The squad have being preparing meticulously for this competition, which is the highlight of the 2007 calendar," said team manager Jim Walsh.

"We know we have talented boxers and a great high performance program, so we are confidant that each boxer will reach his personal target at the championships."

IRELAND(World Championships, Chicago, Oct 23rd): Light fly: Paddy Barnes (Holy Family); Fly: Conor Ahern (Baldoyle); Bantam: Ryan Lindberg (Immaculata); Feather: David Oliver Joyce (St Michael's, Athy); Light: Eric Donovan (St Michael's, Athy); Light welter: John Joe Joyce (St Michael's, Athy); Welter: Roy Sheahan (St Michael's, Athy); Middle: Darren Sutherland (St Saviours OBA); Light heavy: Ken Egan (Neilstown); Heavy: John Sweeney (Dungloe); Super heavy: Cahal McMonagle (Holy Trinity)