AOIFE AND LISA O’Rourke have both secured at least a bronze medal at the European Boxing Elite Championships in Sofia after prevailing in their respective quarter-final bouts.
Aoife succeeded in the women’s 75kg division, before her sister Lisa stepped into the ring to book her place in the semi-finals of the women’s 80kg.
Aoife, who is the 75kg world champion, progressed with a 3-2 victory against Poland’s Agata Kaczmarska, winning her fifth confederation-level medal in the process.
O’Rourke won the fight on a scoreline of 30:27; 29:28; 28:29; 28:29; 30:27, and will face Russia’s Saltanat Medenova in the semi-final on Wednesday.
Team Ireland’s Aoife O’Rourke has won her fifth confederation level medal, after an absolutely titanic battle.
The double Olympian and reigning World champion boxed her European Elite Championship quarter final against Poland’s Agata Kaczmarska, the reigning 80+kg World… pic.twitter.com/Ca98wbnF9T
“It was a battle,” O’Rourke said after her win. “That girl never gave in. I’m just thankful that I had the bit of fitness to keep me going. All three rounds were intense.
“We all want to win. I know some of my teammates had really close losses, and it’s all learning as well. As long as we’re all coming away having learned something, it’s brilliant.”
Aoife O'Rourke says her opponent never gave in during their epic European Elite Championship quarter final.
Aoife won her 5th confederation level medal with a 3-2 win over Poland’s Agata Kaczmarska, the reigning 80+kg World Champion.
Lisa then earned a unanimous decision victory over 2025 World Boxing Championships silver medallist, Emily Asquith of England. She will also return to the ring on Wednesday for a shot at winning a silver medal.
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O’Rourke will take on Ukraine’s Iryna Lutsak, who is a multiple European U23 medallist.
“I’m delighted,” she said after a dominant performance.
“It’s hard come the quarter-finals with the medal on the line. It’s [about] not forgetting about the medal, but just go in as any boxing fight and give it your best, and just hope that it’s enough. Thankfully, today it went well.”
When asked about having Aoife’s fight before hers, she added:
“I look up to Aoife massively. Normally, it’s me going in before her, so she threw it back at me today to keep the atmosphere and the vibes going.”
Medalist! Team Ireland's Lisa O'Rourke has won at least a European Elite Championship bronze medal.
She was the unanimous decision victor over 2025 World Boxing Championships silver medalist, England’s Emily Asquith in a completely dominant performance.
Team Ireland's Lisa O'Rourke says she has thrilled to have medaled at the European Elite Championship.
She was the unanimous decision victor over 2025 World Boxing Championships silver medalist, England’s Emily Asquith in a completely dominant performance.
Earlier today, there was disappointment for Daina Moorehouse, Evelyn Igharo and Jack Marley who were all eliminated at the quarter-final stage.
Moorehouse lost out 4-1 against Spain’s Laura Fuentes Fernandez in the women’s 51kg. The judges cards read 30:27, 29:28, 27:30, 29:28, 29:28 in favour of the Spanish opponent.
Igharo was in action in the women’s 70kg where she was defeated 5-0 by England’s Chantelle Reid, who is a Paris Olympian as well as a World and Commonwealth Games medallist.
Heavyweight Jack Marley lost 4-1 against 2022 European and 2023 World medallist Georgii Kushitashvli. The judges scored the fight 30:27; 29:28; 30:27; 30:27; 28:29 against Marley.
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Aoife and Lisa O'Rourke secure medals after European quarter-final wins
AOIFE AND LISA O’Rourke have both secured at least a bronze medal at the European Boxing Elite Championships in Sofia after prevailing in their respective quarter-final bouts.
Aoife succeeded in the women’s 75kg division, before her sister Lisa stepped into the ring to book her place in the semi-finals of the women’s 80kg.
Aoife, who is the 75kg world champion, progressed with a 3-2 victory against Poland’s Agata Kaczmarska, winning her fifth confederation-level medal in the process.
O’Rourke won the fight on a scoreline of 30:27; 29:28; 28:29; 28:29; 30:27, and will face Russia’s Saltanat Medenova in the semi-final on Wednesday.
“It was a battle,” O’Rourke said after her win. “That girl never gave in. I’m just thankful that I had the bit of fitness to keep me going. All three rounds were intense.
“We all want to win. I know some of my teammates had really close losses, and it’s all learning as well. As long as we’re all coming away having learned something, it’s brilliant.”
Lisa then earned a unanimous decision victory over 2025 World Boxing Championships silver medallist, Emily Asquith of England. She will also return to the ring on Wednesday for a shot at winning a silver medal.
O’Rourke will take on Ukraine’s Iryna Lutsak, who is a multiple European U23 medallist.
“I’m delighted,” she said after a dominant performance.
“It’s hard come the quarter-finals with the medal on the line. It’s [about] not forgetting about the medal, but just go in as any boxing fight and give it your best, and just hope that it’s enough. Thankfully, today it went well.”
When asked about having Aoife’s fight before hers, she added:
“I look up to Aoife massively. Normally, it’s me going in before her, so she threw it back at me today to keep the atmosphere and the vibes going.”
Earlier today, there was disappointment for Daina Moorehouse, Evelyn Igharo and Jack Marley who were all eliminated at the quarter-final stage.
Moorehouse lost out 4-1 against Spain’s Laura Fuentes Fernandez in the women’s 51kg. The judges cards read 30:27, 29:28, 27:30, 29:28, 29:28 in favour of the Spanish opponent.
Igharo was in action in the women’s 70kg where she was defeated 5-0 by England’s Chantelle Reid, who is a Paris Olympian as well as a World and Commonwealth Games medallist.
Heavyweight Jack Marley lost 4-1 against 2022 European and 2023 World medallist Georgii Kushitashvli. The judges scored the fight 30:27; 29:28; 30:27; 30:27; 28:29 against Marley.
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Aoife O'Rourke Boxing Daina Moorehouse European Boxing Elite Championships Evelyn Igharo Jack Marley lisa o'rourke Results