THE European championships begin in Kharkiv, Ukraine on Wednesday (June 14). This will be a crucial test for the continentโs boxers as they need to reach the quarter-finals to qualify for the World championships later this year.
The GB team, who will compete as England, Wales and Scotland is as follows:
Galal Yafai (England, 49kgs)
Niall Farrell (England, 52kgs)
Peter McGrail (England, 56kgs)
Lee McGregor (Scotland, 56kgs)
Calum French (England, 60kgs)
Luke McCormack (England, 64kgs)
Pat McCormack (England, 69kgs)
Ben Whittaker (England, 75kgs)
John Docherty (Scotland, 75kgs)
Tom Whittaker Hart (England, 81kgs)
Cheavon Clarke (England, 91kgs)
Scott Forrest (England, 91kgs)
Frazer Clarke (England, 91&kgs)
The Irish squad is:
52kg โ Flyweight โ Brendan Irvine (St Pauls)
56kg โ Bantamweight โย Kurt Walker (Canal)
60kg โ Lightweight โ Patrick Mongan (Olympic)
64kg โ Light-welter โ Sean McComb (Holy Trinity)
69kg โ Welterweight โ Steven Donnelly (All Saints)
75kg โ Middleweight โ Emmett Brennan (Glasnevin)
81kg โ Light-heavy โ Joe Ward (Moate)
91kg โ Heavyweight โ Darren OโNeill (Paulstown)
91+kg โ Super-heavy โ Dean Gardiner (Clonmel)
Speaking to Boxing News, GB Boxing performance director Rob McCracken looked ahead to the tournament. โItโs always difficult. Thereโs been some difficult decisions to make,โ he said. โMyself and the coaches are always looking to pick who we feel is the best boxer at that point. Thereโs no guarantee youโll stay that boxer. Weโve seen it before where boxers have gone to a major tournament for GB but then the next major tournament a different boxerโs gone at their weight and sometimes people get surprised by that. Itโs just done on form, itโs just done on whoโs performing at that time and whoโs in the best position to go and do well at a tournament. Itโs top level boxing so all tournaments are hard and the draw is tough sometimes.
โItโs a four year cycle, everyone gets the chance to stake their claim and show what they can do. If you miss out in a major and your formโs good and you keep working hard then youโll get the opportunity at some point to prove yourself at another major.
โItโs the first time we have to go to a situation where you have to go to one tournament to qualify for a World championships. All of the boxers going to Ukraine will be trying to qualify for the Worlds but thereโs not a second chance. You look at it in the previous cycle to qualify for Qatar you went to the European Games and the European championships. This time you just go to the European championships.
โYou need the rub of the green, you need to perform well, you could do with not too stiff a draw in the early part of the tournament. Itโs elite boxing, itโs the best in Europe. Itโs always tough.โ
For more from Rob McCracken, Pat McCormack and Ben Whittaker don’t miss this week’s issue of Boxing News magazine