dodge

Wiebes is on the way to becoming one of the greatest cyclists of all time. She beats all of these handily in the omnium format

We'll be back soon!

Sarasota hosted the senior championships in 2017. 
 
They hosted the under 23 event in 2019
 
Not that long ago to be fair 

Great surprise gold for  Fiona Murtagh in the women’s single. Think she surprised Lauren Henry with a strong start and the GB rower left herself too much to do (just as the gap was only 0.03 in the end)
 
Also Fintan McCarthy kept up his record of winning a gold medal at every global championships he’s entered by winning the mixed doubles. Ha 

Good win for  in men’s double sculls.  in second
 
Very encouraging bronze for  who included lightweight champion Fintan McCarthy in his first year as a heavy weight. 
 
Olympic champions  qualified by winning semi but finished 6th surprisingly 

I think most people have similar views to be honest. There are plenty of reasons for genuine transfers of nationality (lineage, residence etc). Sure, some of them only do it to increase their chances of getting to Olympics etc, but so be it. 
 
I remember the footballer Deco (born in Brazil, played in Portugal to start his career) saying that he felt playing for Portugal was the right thing to do as he “owed” his career to them. I found that interesting at a time I wasn’t really sure how I felt about it 
 
The fast track “purchase” of athletes doesn’t sit well though. Turkey and Bahrain being most egregious to me

28 with one 
20 with gold 
 
The global sport

I celebrated that Samoa medal almost as hard as I did Kate O’Connor’s javelin throw yesterday (when I knew she’d win a medal…)
 
Lovely stuff 

I celebrated that Samoa medal almost as hard as I did Kate O’Connor’s javelin throw yesterday (when I knew she’d win a medal…)
 
Lovely stuff 

Her PB is 2:10 so it’d need an amazing turnaround from KJT to get ahead of her.
 
A simply amazing year for her after years of injury hell. Euro indoor bronze, world indoor silver, world university gold and now this.
 
Our national broadcaster is showing the championships for the first time in decades so she’s on the way to superstardom (locally!!)

The men's 2020 Olympic tournament had that.
 
The women's football tournament was also scheduled like that until Canada and Sweden requested a change (also helped that the United States didn't make the final ). 

The issue will be qualification for countries outside the US. There might be a ton of Nigerian diaspora talent in the NFL but they’re not going to be playing in regional qualifiers
 
With or without the NFL, gold was nailed on for the US so all this does is heighten the awareness/celeb factor. 
 
Likely the last time we see it at an Olympics too 

Yes. They won’t compete in the World Series and won’t attempt to qualify for LA
 
Unless a serious rethink happens

For Ireland (men), it means no contracts, no support, no national team. 
 
The women’s team will continue 

The last 2 Giros have been awful to watch. Roglic too defensive in 2023, Pogacar too good in 2024. 
 
Hoping for some competitive action this year 

Over the weekend Ireland voted to join World Boxing. I think the LA decisions made it an easy choice this time 

Good stuff Ogreman. I find the year after Olympics is nearly always a year in flux in boxing. It’s true for most sports but seems *extra* true for boxing.
 
 

Boxing squad projection Feb 2024
 
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.
 
 
 
W50kg- Daina Moorehouse, Shannon Sweeney, Carleigh Irving, Tiffany Spencer, Caitlin Fryers.
 
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.
 
W54kg- Jennifer Lehane, Carlagh Peake?, Robyn Kelly, Chloe Gabriel, Nicole Kinsella.
 
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.

yes, but he withdrew after the lists were made official because he's exhausted, he said
 
https://olympics.com/en/news/exhausted-leon-marchand-withdraws-2024-short-course-world-swimming-championships

Every* Olympic medal swimmer from  is missing this 
 
 
 
 
*Yes, it’s only 2 (Daniel Wiffen & Mona McSharry) but we’ve never had more than one before so I needed to use the word “every”

Every* Olympic medal swimmer from  is missing this 
 
 
 
 
*Yes, it’s only 2 (Daniel Wiffen & Mona McSharry) but we’ve never had more than one before so I needed to use the word “every”

Since winning silver in the 2016 Olympics 
 
2016 world champion (single)
2017 world champion (single)
2018 world champion (double)
2019 world champion (double)
2021 Olympic champion (double)
2022 world champion (double)
2023 world champion (double)
2024 Olympic champion (double)
2024 world champion (single)
 
Paul O’Donovan making his case for the greatest lightweight rower of all time 
 
 

Since winning silver in the 2016 Olympics 
 
2016 world champion (single)
2017 world champion (single)
2018 world champion (double)
2019 world champion (double)
2021 Olympic champion (double)
2022 world champion (double)
2023 world champion (double)
2024 Olympic champion (double)
2024 world champion (single)
 
Paul O’Donovan making his case for the greatest lightweight rower of all time 
 
 

Men
Women
Total
 
Gold
Silver
Bronze
Gold
Silver
Bronze
Gold
Silver
Bronze
Asian Games 2022
3
0
1
4
2
3
7
2
4
European games 2023
1
2
2
1
2
0
2
4
2
2024 World Qualifier 1
2
1
4
0
1
4
2
2
8
2024 World Qualifier 2
1
3
3
0
0
3
1
3
6
African Qualifier 2023
0
0
0
1
0
0
1
0
0
Pan Am Games 2023
0
1
3
0
1
1
0
2
4
Pacific Games 2023
0
0
1
0
0
1
0
0
2
Just a quick comparison of where the medalists qualified from as I was interested myself 

Men
Women
Total
 
Gold
Silver
Bronze
Gold
Silver
Bronze
Gold
Silver
Bronze
Asian Games 2022
3
0
1
4
2
3
7
2
4
European games 2023
1
2
2
1
2
0
2
4
2
2024 World Qualifier 1
2
1
4
0
1
4
2
2
8
2024 World Qualifier 2
1
3
3
0
0
3
1
3
6
African Qualifier 2023
0
0
0
1
0
0
1
0
0
Pan Am Games 2023
0
1
3
0
1
1
0
2
4
Pacific Games 2023
0
0
1
0
0
1
0
0
2
Just a quick comparison of where the medalists qualified from as I was interested myself