GB boxers guarantee a magnificent seven medals at European Games

European Games

SEVEN GB boxers have secured a magnificent seven medals at the European Games, while a quality Irish team have also made sure of six medals by reaching the semi-finals of the tournament at the Sport Palace Uruchie in Minsk, Belarus.

English heavyweight Cheavon Clarke guaranteed the first medal for the GB boxing team at these European Games when he unanimously outscored Hollandโ€™s Peter Mullenberg in Tuesdayโ€™s quarter-final.

But Clarke says, “Gold is the standard. Nothing else is satisfactory.”

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Heavyweight Cheavon Clarke is winning in Belarus GB Boxing

On the same day (June 25), in preliminary bouts, Clarkeโ€™s lightweight team mate Calum French outpointed Italyโ€™s Francesco Maietta on a split decision. At 64kgs Luke McCormack outscored Hungaryโ€™s Milan Fodor on a split decision. GB 81kgs Ben Whittaker beat Austriaโ€™s Umar Dzambekov on a unanimous decision. Scotlandโ€™s Aqeel Ahmed was edged out by Georgiaโ€™s Sakhil Alakhverdovi at 49kgs on a split decision.

Irish middleweights Aoife Oโ€™Rourke and Michael Nevin were victorious, the former beating Belarusโ€™ Viktoryia Kebikava, the latter in a quarter-final defeated Turkeyโ€™s Serhat Guler, both by split decision. Irelandโ€™s James McGivern lost a unanimous decision to Armeniaโ€™s strong 64kgs Hovhannes Bachkov. But Irish light-flyweight Regan Daly was victorious, beating Spainโ€™s Martin Molina Salvador on a split decision in their quarter-final.

Wednesday (June 26) saw the rest of the quarter-finals. Irelandโ€™s Michaela Walsh secured a medal when she beat Germanyโ€™s Ornella Wahner on a split decision. Welterweight Grainne Walsh also made sure of a medal when she defeated Finlandโ€™s Elina Gustafsson on a unanimous decision.

Irelandโ€™s Kurt Walker secured a good win when he unanimously beat Franceโ€™s Samuel Kistohurry. โ€œItโ€™s probably the first ever time Iโ€™ve fought in that style,โ€ Walker said. โ€œHe was too fit to keep off and he would have caught me on the back foot so I had to fight his style which Iโ€™ve never really done, so Iโ€™m just glad I tried it and won myself a medal.

โ€œThatโ€™s two tough fights now, but Iโ€™m happy, Iโ€™m improving every time. Our team is flying at the moment so itโ€™s brilliant.โ€

World champion Kellie Harrington came through a quarter-final with a split decision over Italyโ€™s tricky Irma Testa at 60kgs.

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World champion Kellie Harrington progresses to the final four Team Ireland

Welsh middleweight Lauren Price will win another European medal after she beat Irelandโ€™s Aoife Oโ€™Rourke unanimously. โ€œItโ€™s nice to get the first one out of the way, everyoneโ€™s had to box on the team and I was the last one so itโ€™s nice to get in there, the first oneโ€™s always the hardest,โ€ Price said. โ€œObviously, Iโ€™m guaranteed a medal now, so Iโ€™ll push on to Friday in the semi-final. I felt good, fitness was fine. Iโ€™ll go back now, speak to the team, go through the video and work on things for Friday.โ€

Continuing his good showing at flyweight Britainโ€™s Galal Yafai unanimously outscored Ukraineโ€™s Dmytro Zamotayev. GB 56kgs Peter McGrail also reached the final four, beating Albaniaโ€™s Krenar Zeneli on a unanimous decision. Another British star, welterweight Pat McCormack is guaranteed a medal. He eliminated Monacoโ€™s Hugo Micallef by unanimous decision too.

โ€œI want to be the best and to do that youโ€™ve got to beat the best. Iโ€™m feeling good, Iโ€™ve got the bronze secured but Iโ€™m only going to be happy with gold. I got silver at the last Europeans, Iโ€™ve done that twice, so I just want the gold,โ€ Pat said.

His twin brother Luke McCormack will join him in the semi-finals after a split points win over Ukraineโ€™s Yaroslav Khartsyz. Nor will Ben Whittaker be denied a medal after his split decision victory over Germanyโ€™s Abdulrahman Abu Lubdeh.

A split decision went against Birtleyโ€™s Calum French when he boxed Armeniaโ€™s Karen Tonakanyan.

The semi-finals take place on Friday (June 28), with the finals from Saturday to Sunday (June 29-30).

Click here for more on the preliminary stages of the European Games

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