Kelly wants to seal Olympic ticket by September

Wayne Kelly is planning to have qualification for Tokyo 2020 wrapped up by the end of September – with a World or European medal attached to his ticket for the 32nd Olympiad.

The Portlaoise BC light welter claimed his first Elite belt last February and is back in the mix at 63kg at the 2019 National Elites which begin at Dublin’s National Stadium tonight.

World champion Kellie Harrington defends her lightweight belt at the flagship tournament of Irish boxing.

The AIBA World No.1 has bagged eight Irish titles at three different weights since 2010.

A ninth victory at the end of this month will see the Dubliner move a step closer to equalling the records of Olympic finalist Ken Egan and Jim O’Sullivan who won ten Elite belts each.

Three-time European Elite light-heavy champion Joe Ward is out of the Championships with an elbow injury.

The two-time World Elite finalist and Rio Olympian is having an MRI scan but is optimistic that he’ll be back in action next month.

Kelly, meantime, impressed on the international circuit in 2018 and has no issues with the AIBA reclassification of the men’s light-welter limit from 64kg to 63kg.

”I had a good camp and making weight was easy. I was more disciplined with the new weight and I feel really good at it.

"By September, I want to be qualified for Tokyo and hopefully pick up a European and World medal along the way.”

European U22 champion Amy Broadhurst, who lost a 2018 lightweight final to Harrington, boxes at light-welter at the Stadium.

The Dundalk southpaw has already won an Irish U22 belt this year and hammered Russia’s 2016 European Elite champion Alexandra Ordina in the Golden Girl final in Sweden last weekend.

Today’s weigh-ins for the 2019 Championships will be held between 8am and 11am followed by the draw.