On day four at the European Games 2023, Team Ireland’s Olympic Gold medallist Kellie Harrington opened her Games with a win defeating her Slovakian opponent on a split decision to advance to the round of 16. Team mate Jude Gallagher was unfortunate to be on the wrong side of a split decision in his bout, with Dean Clancy closing the day in the ring with a win over his Bulgarian counterpart.
Irish Diver Ciara McGing impressed on her European Games debut advancing to this evening’s Platform (10M) final ranked 11th.
Canoeing multi medallist Jenny Egan-Simmons booked her spot in the K1 500m Sprint semi-finals later in the day with a seventh place finish in her heat.
Ireland’s Archery competitors also got their Games underway in the Recurve Individual competition.
BOXING
Olympic Champion Kellie Harrington opened Team Ireland’s boxing campaign with a win via a spilt decision over Miroslava Jedinakova of Slovakia, to advance to the round of 16.
🥊 | BOXING
Olympic Champion Kellie Harrington opened Team Irelands boxing campaign with a split win over Miroslava Jedinakova (SVK) 🏆
Commonweath Games Champion, 57kg Jude Gallagher, was unfortunately edged out on the narrowest of margins in a split decision in his last 32… pic.twitter.com/SY75e5D3Cw— Team Ireland (@TeamIreland) June 23, 2023
DIVING
Irish diver Ciara McGing had an impressive European Games debut this morning as the 22-year-old advanced to the Platform (10M) Final in eleventh place.
McGing started strong scoring 58.80 points with an inward 2 ½ somersaults, while her highest score came in the 3rd round where she received 61.60 points for a reverse 2 ½ somersaults.
Despite the diving taking place indoors, a heavy thunderstorm rocked the venue during round five, but McGing stayed calm, closing out the round with a back 2 ½ somersaults. 1 ½ twists for a total of 254.65 points and a place in the Final.
‘I'm feeling good,’ McGing commented after; ‘It wasn't my best day, but everything was pretty steady, so it's nice to be able to go to the Final now with nothing to lose.'
The Platform Final takes place this evening at 7pm (Irish time).
CANOE SPRINT
Irish canoeist Jenny Egan-Simmons put in an impressive performance in the Women’s K1 500m Sprint to progress to the semi-finals this morning. Thunderstorms postponed the start of competition at Kyrspinow Waterway but Egan didn’t let that affect her performance as she finished seventh in the opening heat with a time of 2:05.024.
Speaking after her heat the Dubliner said; “Going into the heat this morning I knew I had to get a top seven finish to advance to the semifinals later today, I had a good start, I got ahead of the Romanian girl next to me and I knew I had to hold her off until the finish to place through to the semis.”
🛶 | CANOE SPRINT
Jenny Egan has finished 9th in the semifinal of the Women’s K1 500m Sprint in a time of 2:02.693.
Although there time was quicker than the heats this morning, it’s not enough to progress to the A final but she will battle for remaining places in the B final… pic.twitter.com/qWRBoUq8Fv— Team Ireland (@TeamIreland) June 23, 2023
Egan-Simmons is racing the Olympic distance of 500m today, although her preferred event is the 5000m, where she has won multiple World Cup, European and World Championship medals. The semi-final takes place this afternoon, and the Lucan athlete will need to finish in the top three to guarantee a spot in the A final, with the 4th-7th place finishers will go to the B final.
ARCHERY
For the archery, Emma Davis, Surrey born but with roots in Armagh, completed her qualification round with 587 points, ranking 45th overall.
“The first half was kinda tough, the nerves got the better of me” said Davis after her qualification round. “I just focused on the process and the second half was a bit better and I ended on a ten”.
Both Irish archers Oskar and Emma move into the matchplay phase on Monday where they will go head-to-head with the other archers.
RESULTS – 23rd June 2023
Boxing
Women’s 60kg – Kellie Harrington (IRL) beat Miroslava Jedinakova (SVK) 4-1
Men’s 57kg Jude Gallagher (IRL) beaten by Javier Ianex Diaz (BUL) 1-4
Men’s 65kg Dean Clancy (IRL) beat Arsen Chabyan (AUT) 5-0
Taekwondo
Men’s -58kg Jack Woolley (IRL) V Josef Hodayfa Alami (SWE), Round of 16, win for Ireland 2-0 (12-2, 14-2).
Men’s -58kg Jack Woolley (IRL) V Mohammed Nour (GB), Quarter-final, win for Ireland 2-1 (13-12, 16-18, 10-10).
Men’s -58kg Jack Wooley (IRL) V Matias Lomartire (ITA), win for Ireland, 2-0 (17-12, 27-9).
Diving
Women 10m Platform Preliminaries: Ciara McGing - 254.65 points (11th)
Canoe Sprint
Women’s K1 500m Canoe Sprint - Jenny Egan-Simmons - Heat 1 - 2:05.024 - 7th
Archery
Oskar Ronan | Men’s Recurve Individual Qualification Round | 47th | 546 points
Emma Davis | Women’s Recurve Individual Qualification Round | 45th | 587 points
Padel
Round of 16 - Portugal (Alfonso Fazendeiro & Miguel Oliveira) beat Ireland (Sam McKibbin & Sean Neave) 2-0 (6-0, 6-1)
