This place is very quiet at the moment ay? Anyway so I meant to do this after the national championships at the end of last year but just didn’t get around to it but I guess nothing has really changed over the last couple of months. Strandja does start tomorrow though. So I thought it would interesting to just kind of project a potential boxing team for LA and just kind of see how much it evolves over the next few years obviously with all the caveats that still apply with boxing and LA.
So for comparison at the this point in the previous cycle Kelyn Cassidy wasn’t even on the radar, Martin McDonagh had only just started boxing and Jude Gallagher, Dean Clancy, Jennifer Lehane and Grainne Walsh were all firmly down the pecking order with the likes of Adam Hession and Brandon McCarthy looking like likely future Olympians.
Just age wise for reference Jude Gallagher, Dean Clancy, Jack Marley, Martin McDonagh and Daina Moorehouse were all 21 or 22 for Paris so 17/18 year olds are very much potentially in play for this LA and would expect a number of them to end up being first choice by 2028, 15/16 year olds though (ie John Donoghue) maybe not so much at least for us, other countries absolutely do pick 18/19 year olds for the Olympics.
I should caveat that this is more of a projection of who we try to qualify with and I'm not yet worrying about who/ how many would qualify. Oh and while world boxing has already been tinkering with weightclasses (don’t get me started on that), for now I’m just sticking with the ones from Paris.
Mostly this is just for me to look back on in 1/2/3 years to see how this hypothethical squad has evolved. I list boxers roughly (emphasis on roughly) in order of my own preference/ expectation but I like some of these will absolutely look dumb in a year or two.
I’m going to put question marks next to boxers who could end up in a different weightclass and brackets around boxers who may or may not be available for selection. (I know that technically could be all of them but you know what I mean.) And I definitely have forgotten someone.
M51kg- Patsy Joyce, Louis Rooney, Scott Thompson, Jamie Collins, Clepson dos Santos, Sean Mari.
So its funny how we spent the entirety of the last Olympic cycle looking for someone to usurp Sean Mari or Mari himself to take a leap and then a couple of months after the Olympics we get European under 22 champions at 48kg and 54kg albeit neither came against particularly impressive fields. Patsy Joyce is an interesting one regarding the last cycle. He lost a bout review to the eventual champion (Vishvaneth Suresh ) at the youth worlds in 2022 from a bracket that produced 3 Paris Olympians including bronze medallist Junior Alcantara but we never really give anyone a look until they produce at under 22 level. I don’t know how close to qualifying Joyce would have gotten but it would have been interesting had he been given a shot at the extended squad and not Ricky (has never won a fight at a major tournament) Nesbitt.
Joyce could end up following Dylan Eagleson lead of trying to be an undersized counterpunching featherweight rather than go down in weight but he is even smaller than Eagleson. I think Joyce could end up being world class but at this point the range of outcomes for him is very wide. Rooney doesn’t have the same underage pedigree mostly because he was stuck behind Joyce but is quite talented in his own right and doesn’t come with any questions about potential weight classes.
Both Scott Thompson and Jamie Collins come out of the youth ranks with some pedigree but lets wait and see how they evolve. Clepson dos Santos finally got himself on a European under 22 podium at the third attempt last year and won nationals in Mari’s absence and while I did think he looked better last year is still an uninspiring option. This particular weight class is still Sean Mari’s this year with Rooney and Joyce above and below him but the younger lads should ultimately surpass him by 2028.
M57kg- Dylan Eagleson, Jude Gallagher, Jamie Graham, Adam Hession, Rhys Owens?, Gavin Ryan.
The most interesting development here is that despite speculation about all 3 of Eagleson, Gallagher and Hession turning pro at least for now they all remain in the amateur ranks. I still think Eagleson has the highest ceiling despite his return after a year out with various injuries resulting in a loss against Rhys Owens at Ulster elites albeit at 60kg. Gallagher is absolutely good enough to make it to multiple Olympics but it remains to be seen if he can take that next step to make global podiums or if his career tracks more like someone like Brendan Irvine. Adam Hession is still the same technically sound but ultimately underwhelming boxer he has been for the last 3 years or so. Moved up to 60kg for nationals presumably to ensure he got picked for the world championships but then promptly lost to the internationally unproven Rhys Owens.
Gavin Ryan and Jamie Graham both very nearly medalled at the world youth championships in 2022 and 2024 respectively, Ryan is now national champion in Gallagher’s absence. Graham impressed me at lot at world youths only losing to eventual champion Samandar Olimov who Adam Hession will presumably lose to in his fight against him at Strandja tomorrow.
M63.5kg- Lee McEvoy, Roy Colgan, Dean Clancy, Martin McDonagh, Jason Nevin,.
This is the most wide open of the divisions both in the short term and from an LA Olympics perspective. Dean Clancy has gone backwards since his impressive run to qualify at European games in 2023 and then became the poster child of why so many Olympians didn’t compete at nationals by losing to Roy Colgan another who went close to medalling at world youths in 2022. Colgan doesn’t have the medals his talent deserves and threw away a medal against an inferior but more physical opponent at European under 22s and failed to back up a spectacular performance to beat Clancy at nationals losing the final to Jason Nevin but I like him and think he has serious potential. Nevin himself is similar to Rhys Owens (listed at 57kg) in that he has some impressive results and performances domestically but has to this point done nothing internationally.
Martin McDonagh comes out of the youth ranks this year without the medals his talent deserves having withdrawn injured from European youths and then ran into a tank in eventual champion Platon Kozlov at world youths. My favourite at this point is Lee McEvoy who medalled at world youths in 2022, He is rail thin and does need to get stronger but height and reach advantages proved very effective during the last Olympic cycle and he picks some great punches.
M71kg- Bobbi Flood, Aidan Walsh, (John Donoghue?). Ryan Jenkins?, Jon McConnell, Tadhg O’Donnell?, Eugene McKeever
Quite possibly could take the title from 57kg for the highest quality division over the course of this Olympic cycle. Bobbi Flood has been the most hyped up boxer in the country for the last few years, notable given that there is no lack of talent coming through. Only managed bronze at his first European under 22s but put up an admirable fight against Yurii Zakharieiev . Definitely has the potential to be a strong medal contender by the time LA comes around so his development is probably more important than most others.
How long Aidan Walsh sticks around really depends on where his head is at but despite a disappointing outcome at the Olympics he did prove he is still up there with the best pure counterpunchers in the world. He would be 32 by the time LA comes around.
Jon McConnell is national champion and could end up with this spot in some national selections over the next couple of years but something will have gone wrong if he is in the mix for LA selection.
Then there are Ryan Jenkins and Tadhg O’Donnell who both leave the youth ranks after disappointing world champs at 63.5kg and 71 kg respectively after both taking bronze at Europeans. O’Donnell is very skilled and looks great until you put him under pressure at which point he just crumbles entirely, Jenkins has less underage pedigree but I am higher on his potential, a soft chin cost him at worlds but he is technically sound punch picker who carries some serious power.
And finally there is John Donoghue who followed up his 2023 junior world championships by absolutely dominating Europeans last year. He will only hit the senior ranks in 2027 and likely at a weight class (a growth spurt could maybe push him to a higher division.) that isn’t going to be lacking for good options. I think circumstances could mean LA is just too soon but if he continues to develop at the rate he currently is, he absolutely should ultimately win Ireland an Olympic medal.
M80kg- Kelyn Cassidy, Gavin Rafferty?, Josh Olaniyan?, James Whelan
At this point this looks like Kelyn Cassidy or burst so if he decides he is better off in the pro ranks then we are in trouble and at 27 trying to win a world medal this year and then turn pro could make sense for him. Rafferty and Olaniyan are both currently battling for selection at 75kg so probably represent the most logical potential competition. In terms of youngsters coming through I guess Tadhg O’Donnell could end up here but he struggled mightily with physicality at 71kg and I’m not sure there is an easy way to reconcile that other than to compete at a lower weight division. Whelan is the current number 2 but I don’t think is good enough to do anything internationally. If Cassidy goes pro and no one else steps up though he could end up with the selection nod.
M92kg- Jack Marley, Nathan Ojo, Shay O’Dowd?, Brian Kennedy?.
Jack Marley was one of the few Olympians to compete at nationals and really impressed while beating Nathan Ojo. Ojo won bronze at world youths a couple of years ago and is similar enough stylistically to Kelyn Cassidy (backfoot counterpuncher). He apparently missed under 22s last year because he had holidays booked so despite his talent I’m not sure he quite has the dedication coaches like to see but his style has been the one that so many boxers had success with in this division in Paris. (Loren Alfonso Dominguez , Davlat Boltaev , Victor Schelstraete ) Shay O’Dowd was one of the youth boxers who medalled for the IBA- neutral team at world youths. To be somewhat fair to the selectors that was his first time competing internationally and it was a soft enough draw. Pretty sure he has another year at youth level so should be interesting to see how he develops.
M92kg+- Adam Olaniyan, Martin McDonagh
There is a buses analogy that definitely applies here. European and world youth champion Adam Olaniyan is well ye know very talented and unlike other weight classes which were diluted by the IBA and world boxing running parallel championships, he beat everyone there was to beat. My one concern with him was his willingness to allow physical opponents to push him back to the ropes and then unload which oh so nearly cost him against Oleksandr Sliesariev in the European semi-final. I just wonder if better, stronger more experienced senior opponents would punish that in the senior ranks. Obviously with a super heavyweight, they will probably take Olaniyan's development slowly and probably rightly so.
McDonagh was unlucky to only take bronze at European under 22s losing a fight I thought he had done enough to win against Stylianos Roulias with a boxer he had beaten before waiting in the final. It will be interesting to see what kind of level McDonagh settles out after his rapid development over the last year. McDonagh probably needs some silverware over the next couple of years if he wants any chance of ultimately holding off Olaniyan.
Lets not bring up Moorehouse’s Olympics but she has the chance truly establish herself at the top of this division globally over the next couple of years. Assuming the training squad of 8 that went on a camp to China is the world champs selection then Shannon Sweeney is a bizarre omission given that 52kg is vacant. Carleigh Irving is the only interesting selection for worlds as while she did take silver at European under 22s a few months ago, I wasn’t that impressed with her performance but ye know 48kg isn’t that strong so maybe she can be competitive.
Of the omitted squad for world youth championships, despite not ultimately medalling I thought Tiffany Spencer was the most egregious non selection. She lost a quarter final to Ruby White at Europeans who won all her other fights by stoppage and subsequently won world boxing’s youth world championships comfortably. Spencer did lose a very narrow split decision that cost her a medal at worlds but it was bizarre that she wasn’t in the actual squad.
Not the most inspiring weight class at the moment. Lehane is what she is, solid but wouldn’t really expect her to trouble the podium at worlds. Carlagh Peake ended up being the most notable non selection by winning 3 fights including beating a Russian on her way to silver at world youths. That said she did get stopped in her opening round at Europeans and like that world final which was her only fight against truly world class opposition would have been stopped if it was earlier in the competition. Its not that she shouldn’t have been selected just that a different draw and her non selection would have looked justified. She is a quality counterpuncher and though she competed at 50kg last year given her height, I’d expect her to move up a bit over the next few years.
Robyn Kelly is fine and has a couple of European under 22 bronzes but lost to Chloe Gabriel at nationals, Gabriel had some success underage but hasn’t really had any success at senior level.
W57kg- Niamh Fay, Michaela Walsh, Grace Conway?
So despite Michaela Walsh being clearly past her peak she still refuses to lose at national championships easily dispatching Niamh Fay last November. So we now have the issue that Fay is proabably the better boxer but Walsh stylistically has the advantage so until Walsh steps aside or Fay figures out how to beat counterpunchers Walsh will keep this spot. Niamh Fay does have some very impressive wins and I do think her footwork has improved to the level that she would be my pick right now with the caveat that she will always be inconsistent and encounter matchups that just don’t suit her.
Grace Conway has European junior and youth silver medals and has a ton of potential. She is very tall so while she was boxing at 52kg last year, she has already moved up to 57kg while still at youth level this year so could end up at 60kg rather than here. Massive talent either way but might not quite be physically ready in time for LA.
W60kg- Ava Henry?, (Amy Broadhurst), ((Kellie Harrington)), Kellie McLoughlin.
We have plenty of talent coming through in and around this weightclass but its unclear if there is anyone actually at it. Kellie McLoughlin moved up from featherweight to take the national title last year but she is doing anything noteworthy internationally. There are a few names that could end up giving us a real shot at winning this title for the 4th/5 time but no name that quite fits perfectly.
While we did have 3 youth world champions last year I would make it very clear that Ava Henry was by far the most talented youth boxer in Ireland last year, and one of the best if not the best in the world. Stylistically and physically she reminds me a lot of Amy Broadhurst. The issue for Henry though is that she was boxing at 63kg last year and it is a tough ask to go down in weight from the youth ranks to senior level especially if she thinks that she is better off and would get picked at 66kg. I would expect her to stay at 63kg for the next year or two and then potentially move up/down for Olympic selection.
Also, I mentioned it earlier how Ireland doesn’t really pick boxers straight out of the youth ranks but Henry this year is one of those cases which I find strange as to why we wouldn’t select her at every opportunity, there is a massive hole in our worlds squad at her weight class, she is absolutely good enough, why not send her?, for the experience if nothing else.
Kellie Harrington was included in the the national squad list in January and is apparently still training. She is definitely retired but would it actually shock any of us if half way through 2026 she decided she wanted to give it one more go?
I kind of sorta maybe called that Amy Broadhurst wouldn’t turn pro and would stick around for LA. In her statement though she didn’t specify what country she would attempt to qualify for LA. I don’t know if she would want to switch back to Ireland (although Eoin Pluck seems to be back in the good books.), if it is possible to switch back (given how easy it was to switch in the first place, I assume it is.) or if we would want her back but maybe. Anyway she is well pregnant at the moment so there is no point in speculating about this for another while anyway
I mentioned Grace Conway above as potentially a name to watch here, the last name I would mention is Niamh Fay who while it would be a big jump to go from 54kg to 60kg, her style does suit being undersized and being able to get inside her opponents so if she remains stuck behind Michaela Walsh, I’d consider this if I were her.
Basically there is enough talent in and around this weight class that it is likely someone will ultimately seize it and put us back in medal contention, who that is and when that will be though I’m not sure. I guess it is possible that we get a situation like 66kg last time where everyone above and below it eyed it up only for Grainne Walsh to ultimately end up with the nod.
W66kg- Lisa O’Rourke, Siofra Lawless, Kyla Doyle, Grainne Walsh.
This weight ended up being stacked from nowhere during the last Olympic cycle but looks likely to be stacked from the off this time around albeit for now Grainne Walsh is in the short term unthreatened.
Look I was critical of this selection and I‘ve never been her biggest fan but the Olympics themselves were ultimately harsh on Grainne Walsh losing a stylistic mismatch in her opening fight and then watching two opponents Amy Broadhurst beat meet in the final and one Lisa O’Rourke beat win bronze. I kind of hope she gets a bit of redemption at worlds because she has been an excellent servant to Irish boxing. Lisa O’Rourke has had an inconsistent and injury riddled few years since becoming world champion but will likely start as one of the favourites to retake that 70kg title next month. If there is an overarching lesson for me from the last Olympics it was that size and reach is crucial and Lisa O’Rourke fits that bill.
Then there are the two youth world champions. Look, Make no mistake Siofra Lawless is an immense talent but I don’t think she is quite as good as Junior and Youth world titles in back to back years makes it sound and take nothing away from it but I don’t think it was the strongest field that she had to beat. Unlike Ava Henry, I don’t think Siofra Lawless would be potentially able to move down to the potentially empty 60kg. Add in that she still has another year at youth level and I’m not sure she will be quite ready for LA. She could very easily prove me wrong though.
Kyla Doyle went from absolutely no pedigree to European and World youth champion in a year which is remarkable. My one criticism of her would be that she does get drawn into physical scraps quite easily but when she gets in lets her hands go and then gets out again she is a joy to watch. Definitely has a fair bit of development still to do particularly compared to someone like Lawless who is a year younger but so much more refined but Doyle’s ceiling is sky high. I really don’t know how this weight class will ultimately shake out.
W75kg- Aoife O’Rourke, Evelyn Igharo?, Nell Mcloughlin, Laura Moran.
It is absolutely crazy that Aoife O’Rourke still doesn’t have a global medal given her performances and results at every other tournament and as such these upcoming world championships are more important for her than anyone else. Evelyn Igharo’s career has been one case of what might have been after another but she is still very talented. Nell McLaughlin and Laura Moran have both medalled at the last two world youth championships albeit the heavier women’s weights tend to not be that strong/ have many entries. That said McLaughlin’s performance to outwork and outlast Dilara Sak who had given Kyla Doyle trouble at Europeans (Yeah I don’t know why Sak moved up 2 weightclasses) was probably my favourite fight of that tournament. I know we won 3 world titles but there was something poetic about watching an overlooked boxer who only made the semis because of a walkover come through against a much more decorated, fancied and skilled opponent.
Anyway that was a lot longer than I thought it would be. I feel like I left a lot of detail out as well. And yeah I know this is gauranteed to look stupid in a year or two but sure look.
With the completion of the European and Four Continents championships, we now have our first sample of what the team standings look like for the Olympics next year. Top 10 teams qualify for the Team Event.
Championship = Best Result from 2025 World, European, Four Continents, or Junior Championships
Grand Prix = Best Result from 2025-26 Grand Prix, Grand Prix Final, or Junior Grand Prix
Rank
Nation
Points
Championship
Men
Championship
Women
Championship
Pairs
Championship
Ice Dance
Grand Prix
Men
Grand Prix
Women
Grand Prix
Pairs
Grand Prix
Ice Dance
1
Italy
2903
756
551
756
840
2
United States
2804
680
756
612
756
3
Georgia
2450
612
756
680
402
4
Japan
2405
612
551
840
402
5
Canada
2246
325
325
756
840
6
France
2123
680
325
362
756
7
South Korea
2092
756
840
496
8
Great Britain
1706
113
362
551
680
9
Switzerland
1689
840
612
237
10
Kazakhstan
1523
840
446
237
11
Estonia
1286
446
840
12
Australia
1184
140
102
496
446
13
Poland
1173
325
402
446
14
Germany
1133
840
293
15
Finland
1092
74
192
214
612
16
Hungary
928
102
612
214
17
China
799
237
237
325
18
Belgium
680
680
19
Spain
677
126
551
20
Sweden
605
293
156
156
21
Latvia
598
496
102
22
Ukraine
579
173
293
113
23
Lithuania
570
74
496
24
Czechia
534
83
126
325
25
Mexico
507
293
214
26
Israel
474
237
237
27
Philippines
451
126
325
28
Romania
446
446
29
Uzbekistan
402
402
30
Slovakia
377
264
113
31
Netherlands
325
325
32
Norway
264
264
33
Austria
256
83
173
34
Bulgaria
214
214
34
Chinese Taipei
214
214
36
Azerbaijan
192
192
37
India
173
173
38
Armenia
156
156
39
Ireland
140
140
39
South Africa
140
140
41
Hong Kong
102
102
42
Slovenia
92
92
42
Malaysia
92
92
Men's Qualification should wrap up this week following the completion of the Pan American Games, however, here is what it is looking like. Top 4 from 2023 MWC automatically qualify for Chengdu. With China receiving the host quota it automatically reaches the IFA's 3 continent mandate.
1. (2023 World Champion / 2024 Euro Champions - EFA)
2. (2nd Place 2023 WC - EFA)
3. (3rd Place 2023 WC - PAFA)
4. (4th Place 2023 WC -EFA)
5. (PAFA)
6. (PAFA)
7. (EFA)
Host: (Asia Quota)
Italian alpine skier Matilde Lorenzi has died during the night after a bad crash in training yesterday, only 19 years old
https://www.krone.at/3574860
Two top-10's in the speed disciplines at last season's world junior championships, lots of Europa Cup results and she was Italian super-G champion in quite a strong field (seniors), definitely someone we would have been likely to see in the World Cups in the next few years..
2016 U20 world champion (800m) Kipyegon Bett , bronze at te 2017 senior world championships, has died yesterday after a month of illness.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kipyegon_Bett
Massive talent in 2015-2017 or so, got caught for EPO and never really competed anymore outside of Kenya after that.
Quotas have been updated on the IWGA website. It looks like got a reallocated quota in the women's event, and got a reallocated quota in the mixed event.
Yes, i see now. I was wondering why has a place in this sport. Now it's clear. There is also a mistake with one quota in powerlifting, I think. Emil Norling is from not from
Okay, so...looking at the racquetball qualification guidelines: https://www.internationalracquetball.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/IRF-Qualification-TWG2025s.pdf
...and the viewing the combined team ranking from the 2024 world championships published by the IRF: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/h84c4jrag5igeutgrllr6/AIaQJvUOJj94K5oVOnphrzE?dl=0&e=1&preview=9+Combined+Team+Competition.pdf&rlkey=npybeo0ohksyc7bri7os9xfvf&st=zyxy65ap
should each be in line to recieve one male and one female quota. I'm not sure if NFs that only entered one gender will be offered quotas, but if that's the case, might also be in line for quotas. didn't compete at the world championships, so I'm not sure about their quotas either.
As always, none of this is official, as only the international federation can confirm who qualified.
Speedy got a reaction from rafalgorka in Who won Men’s 100m when You started watching Summer Olympics???
Speedy got a reaction from Illya in Which Athletes will you be rooting for at the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympics
Speedy got a reaction from Josh in Which Athletes will you be rooting for at the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympics
Speedy got a reaction from Fer GUA in World Games 2025
Speedy got a reaction from Olympian1010 in World Games 2025
Speedy got a reaction from Gianlu33 in World Games 2025