Irish team fly out for the first AIBA World Youth and Junior Women's Championships in Antalya

Ireland's 13-strong squad depart for Turkey this morning (April 19th) ahead of the 1st AIBA World Youth and Junior Women's Championships in Antalya. European Youth and Junior silver medalists Katie Rowland and Christine Gargan have been named in the Irish side.


A total of 264 athletes from 45 nations will compete at the historic tournament as the female version of the noble art continues its rise in popularity following the decision to include women's boxing in the 2012 Olympic Games in London. The Irish team have been in training camp at the Clann Naofa BC in Drogheda for the last number of weeks ahead of the Championships.

European and Olympic Youth championss Paddy Barnes and Ryan Burnett and European bronze medalist Tyrone McCullagh, all of the Holy Family BC in Belfast, and St John Bosco BC's Elite champ Michael Conlon helped put the squad through their paces. Influential Holy Family BC coach Gerry Storey, coach and co-coordinator for Irish female boxing, said that the Ireland squad had got through a tremendous amount of hard work. And IABA Director of Boxing Dominic O'Rourke, who will be with the Irish team in Turkey, believes they can make an impression at the Kepez Belediye Kapali Spor Salon in Antalya. "The squad have a very productive and tough training camp at the Clann Naofa club in Drogheda. Their confidence is high and we're all looking forward to the Championships," said O'Rourke.

The AIBA Women's Youth World Championships are staged in 10 weight categories: Light flyweight (45-48kg), Flyweight (51kg), Bantamweight (54kg), Featherweight (57kg), Lightweight (60kg), Light welterweight (64kg), Welterweight (69kg), Middleweight (75kg), Light heavyweight (81kg) and Heavyweight (81+kg). The bouts are held over four rounds of two minutes with a one-minute break between rounds. A total of 151 boxers are registered for the AIBA Women's Youth World Championships.


The AIBA Women's Junior World Championships are staged in 13 weight categories: Pinweight (44-46kg), Light flyweight (48kg), Flyweight (50kg), Light bantamweight (52kg), Bantamweight (54kg), Featherweight (57kg), Lightweight (60kg), Light welterweight (63kg), Welterweight (66kg), Light middleweight (70kg), Middleweight (75kg), Light heavyweight (80kg) and Heavyweight (80+kg). The bouts are held over three rounds of two minutes with a one-minute break between rounds. A total of 113 boxers are registered for the AIBA Women's Junior World Championships.