Offaly's Gráinne Walsh suffers controversial defeat with Olympic spot on the line
Left, Ireland, Aneta Walsh Of By Heartbreak: Grainne Picture: Consoled Ben Poland Mcshane/sportsfile Of Is Rygielska
In a heartbreaking bout, and with a place in Paris 2024 on the line, Gráinne Walsh lost her 66kg Olympic boxing qualifier quarter-final to Aneta Rygielska of Poland on Monday in Italy.
It was a 3-2 split decision defeat for the Offaly native. Walsh had good reason to feel hard done by in the narrow loss. In the second round, the Pole was docked a point for holding and given a standing eight count. Despite this, three of the five judges still awarded the round to Rygielska.
Overall, two of the judges, those from Norway and Sri Lanka, scored the fight 29-27 in Walsh's favour while the other three had it 28-28 on their cards. Under rules, the three judges from Italy, Morocco and Argentina were then forced to nominate, in their opinion, who had won the fight. All three chose Rygielska.
IABA high performance director Tricia Heberle described it as a "strangely judged contest especially the second round".
There is still a chance that 28-year-old Walsh could qualify for the Games. A second boxing qualifier will take place in Bangkok in May. Though, Walsh would have to be selected for the Irish team and former world champions Lisa O'Rourke and Amy Broadhurt are also vying for selection.
Two more Irish boxers will fight for Olympic places on Monday evening. Tyrone's Jude Gallagher (57kg) takes on Turkmenistan’s Shukur Ovezov while Waterford native Kelyn Cassidy (80kg) faces Nurbek Oralbay of Kazakhstan. The competition is fought to quota. Once boxers have qualified for the Olympics, they are no longer required to continue fighting.
Five Irish boxers have already qualified for Paris. Those are reigning lightweight Olympic champion, Kellie Harrington, Michaela Walsh (57kg), Aoife O’Rourke (75kg), Dean Clancy (63.5kg), and heavyweight Jack Marley.
An incredible journey for 66kg Gráinne Walsh at the 1st Olympic Qualifier, and it comes to an end within a hair’s breadth of Paris qualification, following a 3-2 split decision in favour of her opponent, 🇵🇱 pic.twitter.com/jRJnGVrchx
— IABA (@IABABOXING) March 11, 2024