The Bulgarian town of Samokov has been renowned for its iron-forging skills since the Middle Ages and when our elite boxers return from the European Elite Championships being held there this week the expectation is that they will do so having fashioned some precious metal of their own.

Irish head coach Billy Walsh hailed Adam “The Guard” Nolan after he dumped No. 1 seed Radzhab Butaev out of the European Elite Championships in Samokov, Bulgaria yesterday.

Olympic bronze medallist Michael Conlan admits adjusting from five rounds to three at the European Elite Championships in Bulgaria was difficult.

Irish light-heavyweight Joe Ward eased into the last-16 of the European Elite Championships in Samokov, Bulgaria yesterday, but Dean Gardiner is out.

A surprise, but welcome, women’s team bronze medal brightened up a mixed day of Irish performances in Borovets as Fionnuala Britton battled to a sixth place finish at the European Cross Country Championships yesterday.

Fionnuala Britton and Europe’s best distance runners face one of the most challenging courses in European Cross-Country Championship history in Bulgaria tomorrow.

Kevin Batt, Ireland’s newest middle distance star is ready and waiting for Sunday’s European cross country championships.

Cold and muddy conditions will greet the Irish athletes when they arrive to the Bulgarian mountain resort of Borovets this evening for the 21st European Cross-Country Championships.

Athletics: Fionnuala Britton romped to her fifth GloHealth Inter-Counties Cross-Country Championships title in Dundalk yesterday while Paul Pollock defended his crown in a thrilling three-way sprint finish.

Fionnuala Britton stole the show at Sunday’s GloHealth Inter County cross country championship and declared her aim to win a third European cross country title.