KELLIE HARRINGTON AND Aoife O’Rourke have guaranteed themselves at least bronze medals at the Strandja Tournament in Sofia after quarter-final victories in the lightweight and middleweight divisions respectively.
Their fellow Tokyo Olympian Michaela Walsh missed out, however, after a unanimous-decision defeat to Russia’s 2019 World Championship silver medalist Liudmila Vorontsova at bantamweight, while flyweight Caitlin Fryers was unable to compete and exited the tournament on a walkover.
Harrington cruised past Kazakhstan’s Aidana Zabynbekova in the 60kg bracket, winning every round on every judge’s scorecard (and winning two of them 10-8 such was her dominance in the eyes of the Danish judge).
The Olympic champion, 32, will fight her semi-final on Friday.
O’Rourke was also in menacing form in her 75kg quarter against France’s Davina Michel, like Harrington winning every round to take a 30-27, 30-27, 29-27, 30-26, 30-26 unanimous decision (5-0).
The 2019 European champion from Roscrea, Co. Roscommon will also box in Friday’s semis.
Walsh lost her bout with Vorontsova in the eyes of all five judges, though three of them saw only a round between the Russian and the Belfast woman as Walsh finished strongly.
Though it is not considered a ‘major’ tournament per se, the annual Strandja event carries significant prestige. Because only the world’s top boxing countries are invited to compete at it, it is on paper more difficult to medal at Strandja than it is at a European Championships, a World Championships or an Olympic Games at which the draw can be kinder.
The Irish team are using this year’s tournament as a preparatory pit-stop ahead of the women’s Worlds and the men’s Europeans, both of which take place in May.
Luke Maguire will represent Ireland at the competition later today.
Further results to follow
Ireland squad
W48kg: Shannon Sweeney
W50kg: Caitlin Fryers
W52kg: Carly McNaul
W57kg: Michaela Walsh
W60kg: Kellie Harrington
W70kg: Christina Desmond
W75kg: Aoife O’Rourke
M57kg: Adam Hession
M60kg: JP Hale
M63.5kg: Dean Clancy
M67kg: Eugene McKeever
M71kg: Luke Maguire
M80kg: Kelyn Cassidy
M92kg+: Thomas Maughan
