Belfast flyweight boxer Brendan Irvine will captain the seven-man boxing team heading to Tokyo in July
Team Ireland made the official announcement today along with confirming the seven boxers that will be traveling to Japan for the Olympic Games.
This is a very new team with six of the boxers making their debuts at the Tokyo Games. Irvine is one of the more experienced athletes with him being part of the Rio 2016 team.
The majority of the team confirmed their place at the games at the European Olympic Qualifier this month.
European Games Champion Kurt Walker also confirmed qualification after the close of rankings.
Speaking at the announcement, Irvine said:
“We are excited to just get stuck in now. We have a strong team, with every single person going into the Olympic Games with a real opportunity to do something special.”
📢TEAM IRELAND BOXING TEAM NAMED
Seven boxers named on #TeamIreland for #Tokyo2020 🥊
"We have a strong team, with every single person going into the Olympic Games with a real opportunity to do something special."
🗣️Team captain Brendan Irvine
🔗https://t.co/LUPrebuEkK pic.twitter.com/pwP7yyQ8B7
— Team Ireland (@TeamIreland) June 29, 2021
Former Olympic Champion Bernard has also taken over as Team Ireland Boxing Performance Director.
Along with rowing, boxing is Ireland’s most successful Olympic sport. This team comes into the competition with great confidence after three of them won medals in Paris earlier this month.
“The Olympics are like no other tournament, and I’m lucky to be going to my second. We all know that these Games will be different and that it will be a new experience for each of us, but especially on the back of what has been a tough and testing year, we are ready,” added Irvine.
Team Ireland boxing team
Brendan Irvine (Flyweight 52kg)
Kurt Walker (Featherweight 57kg)
Aidan Walsh (Welterweight 69kg)
Emmet Brennan (Light Heavyweight 81kg)
Michaela Walsh (Featherweight 57kg)
Kellie Harrington (Lightweight 60kg)
Aoife O’Rourke (Middleweight 75kg)
Here's Irish Olympic boxers Paddy Barnes and Michael Conlan with Bernard Dunne in Croke Park today. pic.twitter.com/bVTrUISu
— The GAA (@officialgaa) September 30, 2012
