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Irvine: challenging for flyweight spot in Turkey. Ryan Byrne/INPHO
Boxing

'It was bad but what can you do?': Boxer's Olympic dream not affected by car crash

Belfast teen Brendan Irvine is hoping to book his Olympic spot as the European Qualifiers get underway.

BRENDAN IRVINE INSISTS he won’t crash in his bid to become the fifth Irish boxer to book his place at the Rio Olympics.

The Belfast 19-year-old is one of a nine-strong Irish team set to be involved in the European Olympic qualifiers which get underway in Turkey this weekend, with world medallists Katie Taylor and Michael O’Reilly among the group hoping to reach Rio.

The top two female boxers in each weight class qualify for the Olympics, along with the top three men and Irvine is a notable dark horse.

The teenager won back-to-back Irish Elite titles last December, moving up from light-flyweight (49kg) to flyweight (51kg) after Paddy Barnes was ratified to take an Olympic spot at the lighter weight, and Irvine’s form has been impressive over the past year, winning European Games silver before a competitive World Championship campaign.

The Glen Road native’s qualification bid was nearly upset recently by a car crash, however, which tested his resolve during a demanding pre-tournament schedule.

The teenager has been preparing for the qualifier alongside the rest of the Irish senior team at a training camp in Assisi, Italy having already spent time training in Dublin and Irvine admits that he finds it testing being away from Belfast.

“It’s been hard, even being down in Dublin,” said Irvine.

The first week we were down was a bad enough week and I had no luck whatsoever – I crashed my car! I went into the back of someone on the Long Mile Road.

“It was bad but what can you do? These things happen. It’ll only make me stronger – and more aware on the roads!”

Irvine and those involved came out of the crash unharmed and he is focused on the task at hand.

“You get all sorts of wee things that happen that can help you or make you stronger so I didn’t lose focus one bit. I got it all sorted with the insurance and just stayed in Dublin and trained away,” said Irvine, who is putting the finishing touches to his preparation in Italy.

“All the work was nearly done in the past month in Dublin, near enough. It’s just a matter of peaking and sharpening up,” said the Belfast Boy, who insists he’s content at his new weight class.

“I’m handy and very comfortable before and after training, I haven’t even had to wear a sweat suit at any stage so I’m happy,” he added.

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