Confirmed: Gráinne Walsh in Irish team for final Olympic boxing qualifier
Offaly boxer Gráinne Walsh will have one more shot at qualification for the Olympic Games in Paris this summer.
It was officially confirmed this evening (Friday) that the 28-year-old Tullamore woman is part of the seven-strong Irish squad travelling to Thailand for the final Olympic qualifying event which will get underway later this month.
Gráinne is bidding to qualify at 66kg after she missed out on a place in Paris in heartbreaking and highly controversial circumstances in Italy in March.
The qualifying tournament in Bangkok will take place between May 24 and June 2.
The Irish team named for it this evening is as follows: Aidan Walsh (71kg), Daina Moorehouse (50kg), Jennifer Lehane (54kg), Sean Mari (51kg), Kelyn Cassidy (80kg), Gráinne Walsh (66kg) and Martin McDonagh (92k+).
The Irish Athletic Boxing Association (IABA) said more boxers have entered this Olympic qualification tournament than its counterpart in Italy, for which 602 boxers were registered.
"As a result, boxing has been brought forward, to begin on May 24," stated the IABA.
"As with the first Olympic world qualifier in March, boxers will contest to quota; meaning, they will cease to box at a qualification bout. There will be no semi-finals or finals, and no medals bestowed.
"In four of the weights Ireland is contesting in Bangkok, four Paris quota places are available. In Men’s 71kg, 5 quota places are available, and there are 3 in Men’s 80kg."
On Wednesday next, Gráinne and her Irish teammates will depart for a multi-nations preparatory camp in Hua Hin, Thailand.
High Performance Director, Tricia Heberle, said: "This is a highly focused team of exceptional athletes. Every boxer, having contested the first Olympic world qualifier, knows the task ahead of them.
"Their commitment to training and self-improvement has been strongly led by Head Coach Zauri Antia and ably supported by Damian Kennedy, Eoin Pluck, James Doyle and Lynne McEnery.
"The contribution of club coaches also needs to be recognised, as does the vital role that coaches from the High Performance Paris Pool Coach programme have played.
"Without these coaches working cooperatively for the betterment of their athletes, we would not feel as well-prepared heading into such an important Olympic qualifier event.
"We have set a target of eight qualifications for the Paris Olympic Games, and with 6 of these already achieved at the 2023 European Games and first Olympic world qualifier, we are on track."
High Performance Head Coach, Zauri Antia, said: "The competition in Bangkok will be tough. Boxers are chasing their last chance to become Paris Olympians, and will battle to the final bell.
"It is a great honour, and a remarkable achievement, to box for Ireland at this level, in the hope of becoming an Olympian.
"I congratulate each and every one of the boxers, and their clubs, club coaches and families."
The maximum team size any national federation may qualify for an Olympic Games is 13.
Six Team Ireland boxers have already qualified: reigning Olympic lightweight champ, Kellie Harrington, and now double Olympians 57kg Michaela Walsh and Aoife O’Rourke. 57kg Jude Gallagher booked his ticket to Paris at the 1st Olympic World Qualifier. 63.5kg Dean Clancy and heavyweight, Jack Marley, qualified at the 2023 European Games.
A total of 248 boxers will compete in boxing at Paris 2024, with 124 women and 124 men taking part.