Irish Hit Squad On The Ground In Bulgaria For Elite Tourney
Ireland’s seven-strong squad arrived in Samokov, Bulgaria earlier this week ahead of the opening bell for the 37-nation European Men’s Elite Championships.
Boxing begins at 5pm, Irish time, on Friday.
The 41st edition of the tournament is acting as a qualifier for October’s AIBA World Elite Men’s Championships in Doha, Qatar which is a qualifier for the Rio 2016 Olympics.
Three members of the Irish squad for Samokov 2015 have claimed medals from the last three editions of the European Men’s Elite Championships, with Joe Ward, Irish captain Darren O’Neill and London 2012 bronze medallist Michael Conlan securing one gold and two silver medals between them since 2010.
Ward, who is signed with AIBA Pro Boxing (APB), is aiming to become the first Irish male boxer to win two European gold medals in the light-heavy weight class in Bulgaria.
Adam Nolan, along with O’Neill and Conlan a London 2012 Olympian, Myles Casey, who won the first ever European Games bout in Baku, Azerbaijan in June, Dean Walsh and Dean Gardiner will also line out for Ireland in Samokov.
The top six boxers in each weight class in Bulgaria qualify for the AIBA World Men’s Elite Championships in Doha.
John Joe Nevin and Jason Quigley, who have since switched codes, won double gold for Ireland at the 2013 European Elite Men’s Championships in Minsk.