IRELAND’S MICHAELA WALSH has reached the European Elite Women’s Championships last eight in some style after a sensational victory over Italian world champion Alessia Mesiano in Bulgaria.
Belfast featherweight Walsh, who turned 25 yesterday before opening her Euros account with a last 32-stage win, boxed superbly off her back foot against the more curt Mesiano, who holds European and World bronze medals as well as her 2016 World gold.
The magical Walsh is now just one win away from her third successive medal at a major international tournament. The date for her quarter-final is yet to be decided, but she’ll square off with Galina Bruyevich – the Belarussian against whom she triumphed in the opening round of the 2014 Worlds.
Victory over Mesiano also guarantees Walsh qualification for next year’s European Games – a separate competition to the European Elite Women’s Championships.
Walsh, who in 2016 became only the second Irishwoman ever to win a major international gold medal, moved up in weight earlier this year and was unfortunate to pick up only silver after a controversial Commonwealth Games final defeat in Gold Coast, Australia two months ago.
Her Irish team-mates Kellie Harrington and Gráinne Walsh will kick off their European Championships campaigns tomorrow at the last 16 stage.
