Ireland will host one of the world’s strongest boxing nations, Ukraine, in an international in preparation for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
The event is set to take place in Castlerea, Co. Roscommon, and is the first such Elite international to take place in many years.
Ukraine will bring a full squad of Olympic weight boxers to contest against Ireland in a Round Robin on April 5th These will follow a series of collective squad training sessions with Ireland, and test matches from April 2nd to 4th.
The High Performance Unit, which hosted a Coaching Seminar in Belfast during Squad Training at the Ulster High Performance Unit at the University of Ulster, Jordanstown in January, will host a second coaching seminar on April 1st as part of these Internationals.
High Performance Director, Tricia Heberle, said: “Having boxing nations of Ukraine’s heritage and calibre come to Ireland to compete shows the strength of Irish Boxing, and the regard in which it is globally held. We’re excited to bring boxing of this standard to the West of Ireland, and to the home town of double Olympian Aoife O’Rourke, her sister 2022 World Champion, Lisa. The HPU extends its deepest thanks to Castlerea Boxing Club and Connacht Provincial Council for their expertise and assistance in making these keynote events a reality, and also to Sport Ireland and the Olympic Federation of Ireland for their on-going support of boxing’s Road to Paris.”
Ireland will host one of the world’s strongest boxing nations, Ukraine, in an international in preparation for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
The event is taking place in Castlerea, Co. Roscommon.https://t.co/wrwJByV51I pic.twitter.com/ZGPvpXVZQL— IABA (@IABABOXING) March 21, 2024
Ukraine is returning to Ireland after taking part a High Performance Super Camp at Sport Institute Ireland, the home of the HPU, in September. The High Performance Unit has, in the last 6 months, hosted Spain, Ukraine, France and Turkey in camps in Dublin and Belfast.
Zauri Antia said: “This is excellent preparation for our boxers for Paris, and for the next Olympic World Qualifier in Bangkok in May and the European Championships. We learned much during our Busto Arsizio camp, and competing at home against Ukraine will help us to build on that learning, and to improve. Improvement, improvement, improvement – this is what drives Irish Boxing forward. That Ukraine is bringing their No. 1s in all Olympic weights shows the importance they place on competing against Ireland. These will be exciting events, for our boxers, for their clubs and for their families.”
The international is multi-focused: preparation of Team Ireland’s 6 boxers already qualified for Paris, and preparation for the 2024 European Championships, April 15th to 29th, and preparation for the 2nd Olympic World Qualifier.
The High Performance Unit, which hosted a Coaching Seminar in Belfast during Squad Training at the Ulster High Performance Unit at the University of Ulster, Jordanstown in January, will host a second coaching seminar on April 1st as part of these Internationals.
HPD Tricia Heberle adds “High Performance acknowledges that four National Championships, Boy/Girl 1,2 & 3, and Junior 1, will be taking place at the home of Irish Boxing at the same time as these internationals. These young talents are the Irish Boxing Olympians of the future, and I know Ukraine will join me in wishing all boxers every success in these important competitions.”
Event information:
Ireland v Ukraine, Friday 5th April (Doors open 6pm) in Castlerea Boxing Club, The Hub, Castlerea Business Park, Henry Byrne Rd, Demesne, Castlerea, Co. Roscommon
This is a ticket-only event.
