Boxing accounts for greater than half the medals Eire have received throughout 29 Olympic Video games.
Irish boxing boasts seventeen medal winners, eighteen Olympic medals, and a manufacturing line of pugilistic brilliance that has firmly established this little island as a real international boxing heavyweight.
The story of Eire’s boxing medallists on the Video games needs to be rewritten over the following two weeks as 10 Irish boxers mine for treasured metallic in Paris 2024.
John McNallySilver, males’s bantamweight, 1952, Helsinki
Many adopted in his wake, however John McNally will all the time be the primary. The Belfast bantamweight received Eire’s first-ever boxing medal on the Helsinki Video games in 1952.
The Immaculata BC fighter claimed silver over half a century in the past.
McNally was awarded a bye by the primary spherical earlier than he beat the Philipines, the Italian boxer and a South Korean boxer – all by unanimous choices – to advance to the ultimate, the place he was edged to gold in a 2-1 resolution towards dwelling city fighter Pentti Hamalainen.
Fred TiedtSilver, males’s welterweight, 1956, Melbourne
4 years later and Fred Tiedt was including Eire’s medal tally. A fighter famend as one among Eire’s best amateurs claimed silver in Melbourne in 1956.
Tiedt, who some might bear in mind as a referee, had as powerful a combat to get to Melbourne as he did to safe throughout the Video games. He needed to defeat rival Harry Perry in a box-off to get on the aircraft.
As soon as in Melbourne he hit peak type and steamrolled to the gold medal combat, the place he misplaced to Nicholai Linca of Romania on a 3-2 cut up, a end result that has held it’s ‘controversial’ standing to today.
Tony ByrneBronze, males’s light-weight, 1956, Melbourne
Considered one of Drogheda’s most well-known sons Socks Byrne additionally medaled in Melbourne. The captain of the Irish boxing workforce secured bronze within the light-weight division.
Byrne relied on donations from residents and native companies in Drogheda to fund his journey to Australia, the place he carried the Irish flag on the opening ceremony and duly led by instance within the ring, beating Czech and US boxers to succeed in the light-weight semi-finals.
Within the combat to get into the decider, he suffered defeat to German Harry Kurschat.
John CaldwellBronze, males’s flyweight, 1956, Melbourne
One other remembered as one among Eire’s biggest, John Coldwell medalled on the similar Melbourne Video games. The Belfast ‘wee man’, who isn’t simply famed for his Olympic success, managed to safe flyweight bronze in Australia on the tender age of 18.
‘The Chilly Eye Murderer’s semi-final defeat is questioned to today. Caldwell, who would go on to share the skilled ring with Melbourne teammate Freddie Gilroy, grew to become the primary Irish Olympic medal winner to go on and win a world title.
Freddie GilroyBronze, males’s bantamweight, 1956, Melbourne
Caldwell’s pal and rival Gilroy helped make sure that Melbourne was probably the most profitable boxing Olympic journey.
One other lengthy since revered expertise, the Belfast fighter began with a bang defeating Boris Stepanov of the Soviet Union by knockout.
He then defeated Italy’s bantamweight earlier than dropping to Germany’s Wolfgang Behrendt within the silver medal combat. As a professional Gilroy received Commonwealth and European titles.
Jim McCourtBronze, males’s light-weight, 1964, Tokyo
The final Video games to go to Tokyo produced an Irish medal winner within the type of Jim McCourt.
The European Championship and Commonwealth Video games medalist picked up Bronze in Japan in 1964.
Having navigated three challenges the Belfast southpaw, a seven-time Irish senior champion, misplaced by way of a 3-2 rating to Velikton Barannikov of the USSR.
Hugh RussellBronze, males’s flyweight, 1980, Moscow
After ready eight years for McCourt’s medal Eire had a 16-year medal Olympic boxing medal drought earlier than Hugh Russell got here alongside.
One other Belfast little man was subsequent so as to add his title to the celebrated listing medalling in Moscow in 1980.
Wins over Iraqi, Tanzanian and Korean opponents secured him a semi-final spot in Moscow, the place he was crushed by Bulgaria’s Petar Lesov, the eventual gold medallist.
Earlier than leaving Moscow, Russell spent the final of his roubles on a digicam, which he used to ignite a profession in images.
Michael CarruthGold, males’s welterweight, 1992, Barcelona
In 1992 Micheal Carruth went the place no Irish fighter had gone earlier than to the highest of the Olympic podium – and beat a Cuban to do it.
In truth the Driminagh BC legend grew to become Eire’s first gold medal winner since Ronnie Delany received gold within the 1500m in Melbourne 36 years earlier.
After disappointment in Seoul 4 years earlier Carruth discovered himself within the last towards Cuban star Juan Hernandez. The Dub received 13-10 by way of laptop scoring, registering a end result that despatched him hopping across the Barcelona ring and other people throughout Eire leaping round their dwelling rooms.
Wayne McCulloughSilver, males’s bantamweight, 1992, Barcelona
‘The Pocket Rocket’ didn’t fairly attain the moon in the identical Barcelona Video games however did come again with a treasured silver medal.
Like Carruth the Belfast bantamweight was a competitor in Seoul in 1988 and like Carruth he discovered himself towards a Cuban within the last in 1992.
Joel Casamayor defeated him within the gold medal combat, however an excellent silver medal was simply reward after an impressive week within the ring. As knowledgeable McCullough’s expertise blossomed even additional: he held the WBC bantamweight title from 1995 to 1997 and challenged for world titles at super-bantamweight and featherweight.
Kenneth EganSilver, males’s gentle heavyweight, 2008, Beijing
After one other 16-year medal drought for Irish boxing got here to an finish on the Beijing Olympics as three extraordinarily widespread fighters medaled.
Dublin darling and beginner favorite Kenneth Egan claimed one of many three, profitable silver on 2008.
The Neilstown BC fighter reached the sunshine heavyweight Olympic last the place he confronted native Xiaoping Zhang and misplaced 11-7 to gather a medal that was celebrated throughout Eire.
Darren SutherlandBronze, males’s middleweight, 2008, Beijing
The late, nice Darren Sutherland’s infectious smile was at it’s brightest in Beijing. The all-action middleweight coasted the semi-final the place he met previous rival James DeGale of Group GB.
‘Chunky’ managed to defeat the infectious character for the primary time and the one time in 5 fights to progress to the decider the place he received gold.
Sutherland got here dwelling with Bronze and a spot in Irish hearts.
Paddy BarnesBronze, males’s gentle flyweight, 2008, BeijingBronze, males’s gentle flyweight, 2012, London
The one Irish boxer in historical past to win two Olympic medals, Barnes’ place within the pantheon of Irish sport is already firmly secured.
The primary of the three time Olympians got here in Beijing. The European Championship gold medal winner was crushed by Zou Shiming within the semi last of the ligh flyweight competitors. The Chinese language fighter managed to report the identical end result over the Belfast fighter, though this time solely by a 45-44 rely again rating, after an Olympic traditional.
Katie TaylorGold, girls’s light-weight, 2012, London
Katie Taylor acquired the Olympic medal her beginner profession deserved in London 2012.
The Bray fighter was completely dominant heading into these London Video games, profitable her fourth successive AIBA world title in China three months earlier than. In London, she solid a standing as Eire’s most admired sports activities star as she progressed to the gold medal conflict with Russia’s Sofia Ochigava.
Taylor received a tense combat 10-8 to etch her title among the many immortals.
John Joe NevinSilver, males’s bantamweight, 2012, London
John Joe Nevin was simply 18 when he made his Olympic debut on the 2008 Video games in Beijing, the place he bowed out within the final 16 to eventual champion Badar-Uugan Enkhbatyn of Mongolia. It was an expertise he would put to good use, maturing within the years that adopted into one of many world’s finest amateurs.
In London, he reached the Olympic last in London the place he misplaced to Group GB star Luke Campbell by a rating of 14-11.
Michael ConlanBronze, males’s flyweight, 2012, London
Michael Conlan most well-known Olympic second might have are available in Rio for all of the fallacious causes, however he does have some completely satisfied Olympic reminiscences.
Conlan received bronze on the Video games and began a course of that noticed him ascend towards Irish greatness.
The Belfast fighter beat Ghana’s Duke Micah and France’s Nordine Oubaali with ease to succeed in the flyweight semi-final. He misplaced that bout to the eventual champion, Robeisy Ramirez of Cuba.
Aidan Walsh
Bronze, males’s welterweight, 2021, Tokyo
Within the first half of 2019 Aidan Walsh wasn’t even deemed #1 in Eire however by the Summer time of 2021 he was standing on an Olympic podium.
The Monkstown clubman certified for the Olympics on the identical day as his sister Michaela and didn’t journey to Japan because the fighter most backed to medal.
Nevertheless, he produced good performances and secured wins by way of a novel matador fashion to develop into the Irish boxing breakout star of the Olympics. Sadly for the Belfast medalist, he was denied the prospect to combat for a spot within the last after struggling a freak damage whereas celebrating his quarter-final win.
Kellie Harrington
Gold, feminine light-weight, 2021, Tokyo
Kellie Harrington earned gold and a spot within the hearts of the nation in Tokyo. The Dubliner was good out and in of the ring in Japan, as she charmed the general public and adopted within the footsteps of Michael Carruth and Katie Taylor, securing a spot on the highest of the rostrum.
To say the gold the St Mary’s boxer needed to defeat a Worlds finalist within the semi-final and the reigning world champion within the decider.
