BOXING Irish boxers make final preparations for Olympic qualifier

 
Irish boxers make final preparations ahead of final Olympic qualifier

The Irish senior team are preparing to wind down their training camp at the National Stadium in Dublin ahead of the final AIBA Olympic qualifier for European boxers which begins in Athens on Monday next.
 
The Ireland squad have a rest day today, but return to the National Stadium for final sparring sessions tomorrow.
 
The nine man Irish panel - which will be fully confirmed shortly - will depart for Athens on Saturday next.
 
According to High Performance Director Gary Keegan, the National Stadium training camp, which is featuring 18 boxers, including Paddy Barnes and John Joe Nevin, who have already qualified for the 2008 Olympics, has been going exceptionally well.
 
He said: "The squad have put in four intensive days of training since last Friday and we have got a lot of good productive work done and there is a very positive atmosphere and spirit in the camp."
 
"We will have our final sparring sessions tomorrow but boxers that feel they need an extra few rounds of sparring will be facilitated."
 
"We will arrive in Athens a day earlier than most of the other international squads and this will give us the opportunity to settle into the environment ahead of what is another key week for Irish amateur boxing."
 
Worldwide, two hundred and twenty five boxers have now qualified the 2008 Olympic Games. Two hundred and eighty six boxers will be competing in Beijing next August.
 
As of March 23rd, hosts China, Kazakhstan and Russia have qualified ten boxers for the Olympics - one short of the full compliment - while Cuba has qualified nine boxers. Algeria,Thailand, Ukraine and USA have qualified eight boxers.
 
For more information:

Bernard O'Neill
Public Relations Officer
Irish Amateur Boxing Association
Ph: 086 057 9558
Fax: 061 408627
bernard.oneill@oceanfree.net
www.iaba.ie