THERE has been a social media backlash after Amy Broadhurst was picked to box for Great Britain in the final Olympic qualifier.
GB Boxing have needed to restrict who may touch upon the story on their Facebook web page as coaches and followers reacted angrily to the information GB Boxing shall be sending Broadhurst at 60kgs for the occasion in Thailand (May 25-June 2).
Broadhurst has gained European, World and Commonwealth Games gold representing Ireland and household and supporters of Shona Whitwell and Gemma Richardson are sad with the choice to ship the 27 12 months outdated from Dundalk to Bangkok.
St Ives southpaw Whitwell went to the primary two qualifying occasions and Richardson (Scunthorpe) got here again with a silver medal from the World Boxing Cup: International Invitational in Colorado earlier this month.
Reaction to Broadhurst’s switch on her personal social media has been extra optimistic with nearly all of Irish followers backing her.
Broadhurst regarded into the potential for boxing for Britain after being instructed Ireland would ship welterweight Grainne Walsh to the ultimate qualifier held in Bangkok (May 27-June 2).
The IOC web site says athletes can solely change nationality after “at least three years have passed since the competitor last represented their former country.”
Broadhurst seems to have been accepted to characterize GB Boxing as a result of she has a British passport – her father is from Slough – and is registered with Islington ABC.
Aged 18, Broadhurst moved to London and coach Reg Hagland reckons she had “around a dozen bouts” for the North London membership.
She had spells sleeping within the health club throughout her spell within the capital.
Representing Islington, Broadhurst was named Best Boxer on the 2016 Celtic Box Cup in Dungarvan and gained the 2018 ABA Championship of their colors.
She additionally represented London ABA in opposition to Sweden in Gothenburg in 2016.
Rob McCracken, GB Boxing’s Performance Director, mentioned of the choice to select Broadhurst: “GB Boxing’s selection criteria dictates that we choose people that demonstrate the potential to qualify for and to win a medal at the Olympic Games and, having closely assessed all of the boxers at recent training camps and examined their past performances at elite international tournaments, the coaches were unanimous in their view of which boxer fulfilled the criteria most in the women’s lightweight division.”
Broadhurst did suppose over a transfer to GB Boxing some time in the past after it was clear Kellie Harrington could be aiming for back-to-back Olympic golds at 60kgs in Paris.
Kellie Harrington (L)
Broadhurst, who predicted on the time she would get “lots of stick” if she made the transfer, dominated the 2022 Commonwealth Games at 60kgs and gained European and World gold at 63kgs.
Light-welterweight isn’t one of many girls’s weight classes in Paris and with Harrington the No 1 alternative with Ireland at 60kgs, Broadhurst was compelled to maneuver as much as 66kgs.
She simply missed out on qualifying for the Olympics ultimately 12 months’s European Games in Poland, dropping a cut up to Rosie Eccles (Wales).
The Irish Amateur Boxing Association despatched Walsh to the qualifier in Italy in March and missed out in heartbreaking vogue, dropping on a tie break to Aneta Rygielska (Poland).
Walsh was up on two playing cards on the last bell with the opposite three judges having it stage.
The judges have been requested to appoint a winner and all 5 voted for the Pole.
Broadhurst regarded into her choices after being instructed Walsh could be despatched to Bangkok for the final qualifier.
She was provided a field off in opposition to Lisa O’Rourke for the No 2 spot behind Walsh and turned it down.
Patris Mughalzai is picked at 63.5kgs after a run to the ultimate on the World Boxing Cup in Colorado.
The 21 12 months outdated from Powerday Hooks put out 2021 World featherweight champion Jahmal Harvey (USA) and got here by way of a crunch semi last in opposition to Reese Lynch.
Mughalzai beat the Scottish southpaw unanimously earlier than withdrawing from the ultimate.
Lewis Richardson (Colchester) is shipped to Bangkok at 71kgs forward of 2022 European Champion Harris Akbar (Bradford Police) after each got here again from Colorado with bronze medals and Ramtin Musah (Beartown) will get his probability at 80kgs.
Welsh light-heavyweight Taylor Bevan (Poseidon) had been despatched to the primary two qualifying occasions.
Empire light-flyweight Savannah Stubley, bronze medallist on the newest World Boxing Cup occasion, is picked forward of Demi-Jade Resztan (New Astley) and Elise Glynn (West Warwicks) is the decide at 57kgs.
She gained featherweight gold in Colorado with three wins.
Kiaran MacDonald (Sunderland) and Owan Harris-Allan (Apollos) full the Great Britain crew, competing at 50kgs and 57kgs respectively.
Both have been solely a win away from qualifying at earlier occasions.
GB BOXING TEAM for Olympic qualifier in Bangkok (May 25-June 2).
Number of Olympic locations accessible in brackets
Women: 50kgs: Savannah Stubley (3 or 4); 57kgs: Elise Glynn (3 or 4); 60kgs: Amy Broadhurst (2 or 3)
Men: 51kgs: Kiaran MacDonald (4); 57kgs: Owain Harris-Allan (2 or 3); 63.5kgs: Patris Mughalzai (4 or 5); 71kgs: Lewis Richardson (4 or 5); 80kgs: Ramtin Musah (2 or 3).
AMY BROADHURST STATEMENT
“It has at all times been my dream to compete on the Olympic Games and I’m very glad that I’ve been chosen by GB Boxing to go to the ultimate qualifying occasion in Thailand in May.
“The determination to pursue another path to the Olympic Games – after I used to be knowledgeable by the Irish Athletic Boxing Association (IABA) in March 2024 that I’d not be assessed for choice for the ultimate qualifier – was not taken flippantly and, because the holder of a British passport, I felt I owed it to myself and all of the folks that have supported me all through my profession to do the whole lot attainable to proceed to pursue my dream of competing on the most important stage in sport.
“Since I first walked into the GB Boxing health club, I’ve been made to really feel extremely welcome by my new teammates and all the coaches and assist workers and I wish to thank everybody at GB Boxing for his or her assist and onerous work over current weeks in serving to to maintain my Olympic dream alive and enabling me to have this chance.
“My precedence now could be to proceed to coach onerous, hearken to the coaches and provides myself the absolute best probability of succeeding on the qualifier and reaching my dream of securing a spot on the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
“I have nothing further to add at this time and will not be making any further public comment until after the qualifying event in Thailand.”
