Olympic potential takes shape as London's calling grows

SPORT REVIEW 2011:The year before the Olympics is always a key one for Irish boxers. With three already qualified for London the portents for next summer look good

THIS CURRENT year was as much about next year; as much about what the medals in 2011 mean for the possibilities in 2012. This year was about potential, and the Irish Amateur Boxing Association (IABA) knows better than most that Olympic Games could mean an Irish love-in with the sport at the end of another frigid four-year relationship.

Already three Irish boxers have qualified for London 2012, Michael Conlan, John Joe Nevin and Darren O’Neill. For others, such as teenage European champion Joe Ward and Beijing Olympic medallists Paddy Barnes and Kenny Egan, a qualification tournament next year is their last chance to add their names to the Olympic ticket.

For Katie Taylor, Olympic qualification for the first women’s boxing event to appear in the modern games comes with next year’s World Championships in China.

Despite her decorated past Taylor must do it again for a place in the Excel Arena next summer. Sweetly, Taylor’s lightweight division is one of the three inaugural women’s categories in London. The European title win this year was her fifth in succession, her burden now to carry through to London with the same level of perfection.

The year began with the Irish team captain Egan being hustled from his perch as the king of the light heavyweight division. An 11th successive Irish title was waiting for the Neilstown boxer when a 17-year-old Ward arrived fearless and fresh.

Ward blew through the 81kg event like an unforeseen breeze and Egan, with his private demons to face also, was left contemplating his future.

He moved up a weight division before realising his frame was light heavyweight. The coming months will see Ward and Egan, vying for the one available place in London. The Irish Senior Championships to be held in January and February may determine who goes forward for Ireland’s shot in the Olympic Games qualifier next year.

When the summer of 2011 rolled around, Ireland’s elite squad created a piece of boxing history at the European Senior Championships in Ankara, Turkey. Ward, who had been unbeaten as a senior fighter, carried through his pristine record, and with Mayo’s Ray Moylette, secured gold medals in the light-heavyweight and light-welterweight categories.

Ward had a 20-12 win over Russia’s Nikita Ivanov and Moylette an 18-10 decision over England’s Thomas Stalker. Both junior champions had delivered at senior level.

Because of the Olympics the World Championships were also held this year and in October Ireland arrived in Baku, Azerbaijan with a spring in their step. David Oliver Joyce, Roy Sheehan, Ward and Con Sheehan lost out just one win away from qualifying for London 2012; Joyce being denied by a harsh public warning in the final few seconds of his bout, which handed Indian lightweight Jai Bhagwan a 32-30 win and a plane ticket to London.

Ward was edged out on a countback to Ehsan Rouzbahani of Iran, while Conlan, O’Neill and Nevin won their last-16 bouts to reach the quarter-finals and secure berths for the Olympics.

Conlan and O’Neill were beaten in the last eight and Nevin reached the semi-finals to become the first Irish male boxer to win two medals at World Championships level.

The Mullingar bantamweight lost out in his quest to become the first Irish male boxer to reach an AIBA World Championships final, losing out on a countback to England’s Luke Campbell.

Taylor’s end of year was a chance to reaffirm her status as the best pound for pound women’s fighter in the world. Russia’s Sofya Ochigava, who had “beaten” the World and European champion 8-1 at the Usti Nad Labem Grand Prix in the Czech Republic last year, fell 10-5. Taylor had made her point to the Russian.

And once more the world.