Team Ireland - Paris 2024 Qualification Tracker

[dodge 1,024]

IABA say they’re disappointed but if it’s what she really wants, they won’t stay in her way

 

Had a quick chat with someone who should know and he thinks it won’t happen because GB have their own process

[Ogreman 355]

It seems to me that it is just too compressed a time frame for it to actually happen. A lot needs to happen in a very short period of time.

To be fair to Amy Broadhurst all she has ever said is the Olympics are her dream and her number one goal. She could have transferred to GB two years when it was clear Kellie was getting the Irish selection at 60kg but opted to try to compete at significantly above her natural weight to compete for Ireland. 

In the unlikely event it is actually possible GB would be crazy to not throw out their selection policy and pick her over Shona Whitwell especially given the severe lack of medal contenders in the British squad at the moment.

 

I dont think I'd hold this against her and if it does happen and she ends up with an Olympic medal as long as she doesn't beat Kellie I think I would be happy for her. I think I would prefer it just doesn't work out though so hopefully dodge's source is right. Out of interest how do the rest of us feel if she was to win an Olympic medal for Paris. I think Sky Brown was the only medal they won in Tokyo where I was happy to see a Brit win and that was A. a cool story and B. she is very much only part British.

 

It will be strange though now if she does end up winning a world title as a pro is it for Britain or Ireland. 

 

Finally I do wonder why she doesn't consider more strongly sticking around in the amateurs for LA. I know everytime you mention LA you have to caveat it with ifs and maybes but in all likelihood boxing will end up on the program. Everything Amy has ever said and done indicates the Olympics are what she dreams of. Is your pro career really going to be that different whether you start it at 27 or 31. Like it will probably be 8-10 years or so regardless of when it starts. Is potentially a couple of additional years in the pro ranks really worth giving up on the Olympics assuming this latest pathway doesn't work out. Like Kellie is done after Paris and sure there are some impressive youngsters like Ava Henry and Siofra Lawless coming through but its mostly at 63kg and if you're a 63kg boxer at youth level you're probably at least at 66kg boxer in the senior ranks and regardless Amy would then be in the position selection wise that she was the wrong side of for the last two Olympic cycles.

Edited March 28 by Ogreman

[duineeile 5]

The time frame does seem incredibly short so hard to see how it could credibly happen but stranger things have happened. Didn't Tyson Fury attempt a similar allegiance switch circa 2008 only for the Irish clubs to kick up a fuss and block it? Pity in a way as we had no real contenders at heavyweight back then ourselves. If she does get the nod and then qualify I think its inevitable really that she'll meet Harrington, most likely in the quarter final. I've been following Ireland at Olympics long enough to know that we get a lot of bad luck which often borders on the bizarre.

[dodge 1,024]

I hope she doesn’t get selected. If she does get selected, I hope she doesn’t qualify. If she qualifies, I hope she loses

 

The same way I feel about Saskia Tidey in sailing

 

FWIW she’s out a statement to say she’s exploring all options 

[Ogreman 355]

If this is how she feels about the Olympics, Why turn pro?

 

16 minutes ago, dodge said:

I hope she doesn’t get selected. If she does get selected, I hope she doesn’t qualify. If she qualifies, I hope she loses

Fair enough, this how I should feel but for some reason its not. I just hope it doesn't work out.

Edited March 28 by Ogreman

[duineeile 5]

I suppose she will turn pro as 4 years is a long time to wait with no guarantees, even if she is Irish no. 1 something as simple as a hand injury in training could ruin it all again. Then factor in that she has only so many years to make money so she needs to make hay while the sun shines. If she does get the switch to Team GB and meals in Paris it could significantly up her earning potential in the pro ranks, Eddie Hearn would be all over her like a rash. I feel very bad for her and kind of understand what she's doing but I would tend to agree with Dodge in that I wouldn't like to see her selected for GB, especially if she ended up with the potential to scupper Irish medal chances.

[dodge 1,024]

I also think her behaviour has been incredibly disrespectful to Grainne Walsh

[duineeile 5]

If she does end up going to Paris with GB and beating Kellie Harrington, questions will be asked of the IABA allowing it

[dodge 1,024]

Good start for new women's four in Varese. Sanita won her heat too.

 

Men's side didn't look as strong but they don't have to peak until July

[Ogreman 355]

1 hour ago, dodge said:

Men's side didn't look as strong but they don't have to peak until July

Konan Pazzaia looked great in the M1x 4th fastest time overall and half a length down on the world silver medallist. If he can replicate that form through the regatta he will get picked over Colsh for FOQR and would be in contention to qualify. I probably wouldn't read that much into a heat result though and he does need to produce that form 3 more times this weekend. Brian Colsh didn't look very good at all despite being IRL1, maybe despite his physique the single just doesn't suit him, 3rd in his heat left him a little at the mercy of quarter finals draw but he seems to have gotten away with it although will need a better row this afternoon than he produced this morning just to make the semis. 

 

The Men's four did not look good at all and Germany, Switzerland, and Italy none of whom have qualified for the Olympics all looked great and were beating the Dutch and the Brits (First time the Brits have lost all Olympic cycle I think.). The one saving grace for the four is A. look new combination, Ronan Byrne new to sweep and B. terrible start and didn't lose that much time down the middle of the course but ye need to be beating Denmark and Ukraine tomorrow if they want any hope of qualifying for the Olympics. I know they are young and all but surely this four should be producing better results than it is. Lets see how they go tomorrow.

 

The men's pair apparently had quite a disrupted preparation with illness and injury so being off the pace of the British/ Swiss is not a disaster but they have a bit of work still to do just to make the final here, they should though. Wouldn't be at all worried about the double being well beaten by Italy, that was true early last year as well.

 

Yeah women's boats all looked great. Maybe Sanita ending her career with an Olympic medal is still on the cards (probably a bit premature but).

 

Only other thing I would mention is Canada opted to not field a women's four at FOQR and Germany who were 11th last year seem to be going for the eight so like its basically gauranteed to be us and Denmark that qualify. Poland is now the biggest threat but they are not a big one and if we can stay ahead of Denmark that won't even matter. But ye I would be thinking about the four in terms of can it get to being competitive in an Olympic final and not worrying much at all whether it will qualify.