Gráinne Walsh within one win of capturing a World medal
The Spartacus BC orthodox dropped the first round on two cards against Poland’s Hanna Solecka but claimed the final three frames of a toe-to-toe battle to earn an impressive unanimous decision.
“How’s that?”, Walsh was heard enquiring after returning to her corner after the final bell before the verdict was announced.
“Excellent. You have it by a mile”, was the reply from Irish coaches Zaur Antia and Eddie Bolger.
Wash, who received a bye into the last 16, now meets Kazakhstan’s Valentina Khalzova, an Astana native, tomorrow for a place in the last-four and at least bronze.
“Delighted with the win, but it was tough in there. She was a strong opponent,” said the 20-year-old following her victory on her World Elite debut. Light-welter Kelly Harrington and Olympic lightweight champion Taylor are in action today.
Taylor scored a unanimous decision over Sweden’s Agnes Alexiusson on Saturday to record her 26th World Championships win from 27 outings since 2005.
She meets Argentina’s Dayana Sanchez in the last 16 this afternoon (Irish time) two wins away from qualifying for her second Olympics.
Sanchez, a Buenos Aires native, has been boxing since 2005 but has only 62 bouts under her belt. She claimed silver at the American Confederation Championships earlier this year in Bolivia and Pan American Games silver in Canada in 2015.
The top four women (the semi-finalist) in the three Olympic weights for females book Rio tickets in Astana.
Taylor needed attention to a bloody nose versus Alexiusson, an ex World Youth champion, following an accidental clash of heads early in Saturday’s four-rounder.
The Bray woman clearly indicted to the ref her concern about Alexiusson’s use of her head in the second round of the last 32 clash.
Irish coach Eddie Bolger dismissed any injury concerns. “It’s not a cut, it’s a just a nose bleed. Katie was excellent. High work rate and a good work out,” he said.
Harrington meet’s Germany’s ex EU bronze medallist Cindy Rogge in the afternoon session which begins at 9am (Irish time). Taylor faces Sanchez in the evening session which begins at 2pm (Irish time).
The Bray woman is aiming to become the first female boxer in the history of the sport to win six successive World Elite titles in Central Asia.
Walsh, Taylor and Harrington are the remaining Irish boxers in the tournament.
D Barr (Ireland) lost to K Klavel (Canada) 0-3
K Taylor (Ireland) beat A Alexiusson (Sweden) 3-0
G Walsh (Ireland) beat H Solecka (Poland) 3-0
K Taylor (Ireland) v D Sanchez (Argentina)
K Harrington (Ireland) v C Rogge (Germany)
G Walsh (Ireland) v V Khalzova (Kazakhstan)
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