Day 11 of the European Games: Jack Marley qualifies for 2024 Olympics

Ireland have been competing so far, for 11 days at the European Games with highs and lows across a multitude of sports. The games began on June 23rd and will continue until the July 2nd. Kraków and Malopolska in Poland are the host cities and the games are taking place in the Nowy Targ Arena.

Boxing

Jack Marley confirmed his place on the plane to Paris 2024 with qualification in the Men’s heavyweight semi-final this afternoon.

The twenty-year-old came back from a first-round loss (1-4) to win on split decision (4-1) against Spain’s Enmanual Reyes Pla. Marley will now fight for gold on Saturday.

The Dubliner is the first Irish heavyweight boxer in 27 years to qualify for an Olympic Games, with Cathal O’Grady the last in 1996.

After the win, he said: “I can’t believe it, it was a big mental strain today, everything was going through the head. Unlike everyone else I had to get the bronze first, then qualify, it was just another obstacle in my head that I had to get past, it was tough but we’re here now and I can’t believe it. I’m absolutely speechless.”

His teammate, Dean Clancy, bowed out of the European Games with a ticket to Paris 2024 with a bronze medal, following an energetic performance against Tokyo silver medallist, three-time world champion, and world number one Sofiane Oumiha of France.

The Sligoman lost all three rounds, with the experienced Oumiha winning by unanimous decision 5-0 (5-0, 5-0, 5-0).

After the fight, he said: “I came in here, I got three good wins against good lads, qualified for the Olympics, I’m only 21. I’ve a long stretch now between now and the Olympic Games, I’m going to see where I went wrong after this and assess it and see what I can change up. I’ve a long time now until the Olympics to really focus in and mature as an elite boxer. It’ll fly around, but I’m looking forward to it, at least I can focus on the Olympics.’

In the Women’s 60kg semi-final, Kellie Harrington has defeated France’s Estelle Mossely, with a result of 5-0. The Olympic gold medallist has received at least a silver medal with the result and is through to the final.

After her victory, she said: “Estelle is the 2026 Olympic champion and he 2016 world champion. I was nervous going in there buy also felt excited because it is the best with the best. That always makes you perform better. I felt good in there.”

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On Friday evening, Michaela Walsh contests her Featherweight (57kg) semi-final against Amina Zidani from France, having already secured Olympic qualification at this point.

Teammate, Aoife O’Rourke, must win her Middleweight (75kg) semi-final on Friday night against Polish, Elzbieta Wojcik, if she is to join Walsh on the way to Paris 2024.

On Saturday, Kellie Harrington will have her women’s 60kg Lightweight Final against Natalia Shadrina. In the men’s 92kg Heavyweight Final, Jack Marley will take on Italy’s Aziz Abbes Mouhiidine.

Canoe Slalom

The Irish team of Liam Jegou, Jake Cochrane and Robert Hendrick have finished tenth in this afternoon’s Men’s Canoe final. The trio, who had all raced in the individual event earlier in the day, put in a strong performance and will look to build on this performance going forward.

The team had success in the event before winning silver at the European Championships in 2020 and finishing fifth in the World Championships in the same year, so were slightly disappointed with today’s performance.

After their final, Jake Cochrane said: “I felt like it got off to a good start, but we had a bit of bother in the first double up. I hit the wall which maybe slowed Robert on his exit. I think it was in the middle part we started falling away from each other.”

The Irish canoe slalom involvement at these European Games continues on Saturday, when Samel Curtis, Noel Hendrick, and Madison Corcoran race in the Men’s and Women’s K1 semi-finals.

Kickboxing

Conor McGlinchey has won his quarterfinal against Slovenia’s Erik Zorn in the Men’s Pointfighting 84kg. The Kildare man is now into the semi-finals and has secured at least a bronze medal with a 19-8 win.

Tallaght’s Jodie Brown, the current WAKO Senior World and European Champion, has also received at least bronze and a semi-final place after her decisive win of 12-2 over Croatia’s Lara Mihalic.

The Irish team secured the first of their medals earlier on Friday, from a bye for Nathan Tait in his quarter-final (74kg Pointfighting), and a win for Bray’s Amy Wall in her 60kg Full Contact bout over Francesca Prescimone of France 3-0. Both will also advance now in search of at least a silver should they win their semi-finals.

Later this evening, Tony Stephenson and Nicole Bannon will be involved in quarter-final action.

On Saturday, in the men’s Point Fighting 74kg, semi-final, Nathan Tait will take on Danylo Mancari. In the women’s Full Contact 60kg, semi-final, Amy Wall will fight agonist Poland’s Kinga Szlachcic. Conor McGlinchey will take on Riccardo Albanese from Italy in his semi-final in the men’s Point Fighting 84kg. In the women’s Point Fighting 70kg, Jodie Browne will be up against Tina Baloh.