Ireland won one and lost one at the 105-nation AIBA World Youth Championships and Olympic Youth qualifiers in Bulgaria on Wednesday.
Johnny Joyce, the current European junior champion, eased past Egyptian welterweight Mohamed Hikal on a unanimous decision in Sofia. However, Wayne Kelly exited the tournament after losing on a unanimous decision to Kazakh southpaw Ayan Kalibekov after three close rounds.
Eight members of the Irish squad remain in the tournament, which is now down to the last-32 stage. The tournament also acts as the only qualifier for August’s Youth Olympics in China.
Current world junior champions Willie Donoghue and Ciara Ginty, Christina Desmond and Michael Gallagher will be in action today. Desmond, a silver medallist at the 2013 World Youths, meets Russia’s Ekaternina Serova in a key bout in the women’s middleweight class.
World Youth Championships Sofia Bulgaria
Results: (last 64) 64kg – W Kelly (Ireland) lost to A Kalibekov (Kazakhstan) 0-3; 69kg – J Joyce (Ireland) beat M Hikal (Egypt) 3-0
April 17th (last 32) Men: 52kg – W Donoghue (Ireland) v D Hirsch (Germany); 91kg – M Gallagher (Ireland) v E Frangos (Canada); Women: 60kg – C Ginty (Ireland) v N Mladenova (Bulgaria); 75kg – C Desmond (Ireland) v E Serova (Russia)
