GRAINNE WALSH PUT on a stirring performance to secure a 5-0 victory over Slovakia’s Jessica Triebelova at the World Championships in Liverpool this morning.
Team Ireland’s 65kg Paris Olympian delivered a masterclass in her opening bout, with the judges scoring the bout in her favour: 30:27, 30:27, 30:27, 29:28, 30:27.
“The first fight of any major tournament can be daunting — not that it’s any different, it’s a ring anywhere in the world — but just getting the feel of things and getting the ball rolling. I’m impressed and proud of my performance there,” Walsh said.
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“And, like our coaches always say, ‘look after the performance, the results will come’. That’s what I’ve tried to practice in the camp, being present and just enjoying it — because there’s not that many people that get to say they’re living their dream. I’m very privileged to be here.
“We looked at footage of her before the bout, by my approach is to bring the best version of me. They’re also coming up with a plan to try and beat me so, if I’m the best version of Grainne Walsh, I believe I’m up there with the very best of them.”
Walsh will face Mariana Soto Torres in Monday’s evening session after the Spaniard defeated Ukraine’s Nataliia Merinova by the same 5-0 score line.
In the afternoon session, however, it was not to be for 75kg Gavin Rafferty after two-time Asian continental champion and a 2023 World silver medallist Saidjamshid Jafarov (Azerbaijan) showed his class with a 5-0 win: 30:27, 30:27, 30:27, 30:27, 30:26.
There was better fortune this evening for Michaela Walsh, who won her opening 57kg bout against Saudi Arabia’s Hadeel Aashbour by way of first-round RSC (referee stops contest).
The 32-year-old Belfast native will meet the winner of the fight between Tapei’s Shih-Yi Wu and Croatia’s Nikolina Cacic in the last 16 in Sunday’s evening session.
There was disappointment, meanwhile, for Louis Rooney in his 50kg last 32 bout against Huthaifa Eshish of Jordan.
The Belfast boxer suffered a 3-2 defeat, with his opponent winning the fight 30:27, 28:29, 29:28, 30:27, 30:27.
Finally, fighting at 90+kg, Martin McDonagh also bowed out of the competition after a split decision loss to Indian fighter Narender Narender.
The 22-year-old Galway fighter suffered an agonising defeat, having been level with his rival on all cards going into the last round.
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Michaela and Grainne Walsh advance, three Irish fighters bow out at World Championships
Updated at 22.03
GRAINNE WALSH PUT on a stirring performance to secure a 5-0 victory over Slovakia’s Jessica Triebelova at the World Championships in Liverpool this morning.
Team Ireland’s 65kg Paris Olympian delivered a masterclass in her opening bout, with the judges scoring the bout in her favour: 30:27, 30:27, 30:27, 29:28, 30:27.
“The first fight of any major tournament can be daunting — not that it’s any different, it’s a ring anywhere in the world — but just getting the feel of things and getting the ball rolling. I’m impressed and proud of my performance there,” Walsh said.
“And, like our coaches always say, ‘look after the performance, the results will come’. That’s what I’ve tried to practice in the camp, being present and just enjoying it — because there’s not that many people that get to say they’re living their dream. I’m very privileged to be here.
“We looked at footage of her before the bout, by my approach is to bring the best version of me. They’re also coming up with a plan to try and beat me so, if I’m the best version of Grainne Walsh, I believe I’m up there with the very best of them.”
Walsh will face Mariana Soto Torres in Monday’s evening session after the Spaniard defeated Ukraine’s Nataliia Merinova by the same 5-0 score line.
In the afternoon session, however, it was not to be for 75kg Gavin Rafferty after two-time Asian continental champion and a 2023 World silver medallist Saidjamshid Jafarov (Azerbaijan) showed his class with a 5-0 win: 30:27, 30:27, 30:27, 30:27, 30:26.
There was better fortune this evening for Michaela Walsh, who won her opening 57kg bout against Saudi Arabia’s Hadeel Aashbour by way of first-round RSC (referee stops contest).
The 32-year-old Belfast native will meet the winner of the fight between Tapei’s Shih-Yi Wu and Croatia’s Nikolina Cacic in the last 16 in Sunday’s evening session.
There was disappointment, meanwhile, for Louis Rooney in his 50kg last 32 bout against Huthaifa Eshish of Jordan.
The Belfast boxer suffered a 3-2 defeat, with his opponent winning the fight 30:27, 28:29, 29:28, 30:27, 30:27.
Finally, fighting at 90+kg, Martin McDonagh also bowed out of the competition after a split decision loss to Indian fighter Narender Narender.
The 22-year-old Galway fighter suffered an agonising defeat, having been level with his rival on all cards going into the last round.
Additional reporting by Paul Fennessy
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