Irish boxers to enter the ring at European Games today
Boxing, cycling, judo and shooting are occupying Irish thoughts on day two of the European Games in Minsk.
Despite a busy opening day of boxing, no Irish fighter made it into the ring yesterday – but Kieran Molloy and Michael Nevin change that today.
Three-time European and EU medallist Molloy is first into the ring at the Uruchie Sports Palace at midday Irish time, when the 21-year-old from Oughterard faces up against North Macedonia’s Goce Janeski in the last 32 at welterweight.
EU quarter-finalist Michael Nevin opens up at middleweight against Britain’s Mark Dickinson at 1pm Irish time, again in the opening round of 32.
It’s the biggest championship of Nevin’s career to date, having claimed European gold medals at schoolboy, junior and youth level.
The women’s road race features Ireland’s Alice Sharpe as one of 78 riders who will be taking in the 150km city centre course – this ahead of taking on track action later in the week.
Having finished third at the National Championships in the road race, 25-year-old Sharpe only arrived in international cycling last year, and are a solid performance, did not finish the 2018 World Championship road race in Innsbruck, that was won by Anna van der Breggen of the Netherlands – who is going for gold again today.
Defending champion Alena Amialiusuk of host nation Belarus is also in the field.
Nathan Burns gets his judo campaign underway in the south of the city at half-lightweight (66kg), as the 30-year-old from Camberley Judo Club takes on Portugal’s Joao Crisostomo in the last 32.
Burns received a bye in the opening round.
And Chloe Magee had the honour of being Irish flagbearer in front a capacity crowd at last night’s opening ceremony at the Dinamo Stadium.
BOXING DRAW
69kg - Kieran Molloy v Goce Janeski (North Macedonia) – L32
75kg - Michael Nevin v Mark Dickinson (Britain) – L32
49kg - Regan Buckley v Bator Sagalvev (Russia) - last 16
64kg - James McGivern v Michael Takacs (Slovakia) - last 32
91kg - Anthony Browne v Dzemal Bosnjak (Bosnia-Herzegovina) - last 16
56kg - Kurt Walker v Zhirayr Sargsyan (Armenia)
57kg - Michaela Walsh v Lenuta Perijoc (Romania)
69kg - Grainne Walsh v Rosie Eccles (Britain)
91+kg - Dean Gardiner v Mikheil Bakhtidze (Georgia)
(all last 16)
75kg - Aoife O’Rourke v Viktoryia Kebikava (Belarus) – last 16
60kg - Kellie Harrington v Irma Testa (Italy) or Christina Rygielska (Moldova) - QF
