'It’s just another fight' - Jack Marley taking Euro semi in his stride with Olympics on the line

The 20-year-old is one of five Irish boxers in last-four bouts on Friday.

Fri, 30 Jun, 2023 - 07:20

Cathal Dennehy

“I don’t like getting punched,” says Jack Marley. “But it’s a good feeling when you’re taking one and giving two.”

The Dubliner, like his Irish teammates, has been doling out plenty here at the European Games in Poland, and he’s one of five Irish boxers in semi-final action in Nowy Targ today. The 20-year-old, along with Aoife O’Rourke, has the added prize of Olympic qualification on the line. The other three – Kellie Harrington, Dean Clancy and Michaela Walsh – all secured their berths at the Paris Games on Wednesday, but Marley and O’Rourke must reach their respective finals to join them. If they fall short, a European Games bronze medal will provide little solace.

Marley is in action against Spain’s Emanuel Reyes Pla in the 92kg semi-final and the Sallynoggin native will have a tough assignment against the 30-year-old, who grew up in Cuba and defected to Spain, winning a European silver medal for them last year and a world bronze medal in 2021.

“Another step closer to the dream,” Marley said after beating seasoned veteran Marko Calic of Croatia on Wednesday. “It’s just about focusing on what’s in front of you.”

Marley’s plan for the semi-final? “The same as every other one – it’s just another fight. Every single fight I’ve had has been an Olympic qualifying fight. If I lose, that’s me gone.”

O’Rourke is in action against Poland’s Elzbieta Wojcik, a fighter the Roscommon woman knows well, having beaten her to the 75kg title in the European final last year. “All these fights are tough, there’s no easy fights here,” said O’Rourke after winning her quarter-final 5-0 on Wednesday. “Every boxer that came here wants to qualify for the Olympics and there’s one fight to go. Fingers crossed I can do it. We’ll have a game plan and hopefully we can get over the line.”

Kellie Harrington is the first of the Irish in the ring today, taking on France’s Estelle Mossely in the 60kg semi-final, the woman who preceded her as Olympic lightweight champion. Mossely, the IBO female lightweight champion, is ranked by The Ring magazine as the world’s number one female lightweight boxer and she has an intimidating 11-0 record as a professional.

Dean Clancy is back in action in the 63.5kg semi-final against France’s Sofiane Oumiha and it should prove a litmus test for the 21-year-old Sligo man. Oumiha is the reigning world champion at 60kg and was an Olympic silver medallist in 2016. Still, Clancy isn’t content just because he nailed down his Olympic berth. “Since I first came into boxing it’s been my dream, it’s the pinnacle of the sport,” he said. “I’ve secured one medal, so now it’s about getting a better colour – first silver, then gold.”

In the women’s 57kg semi-final, Michaela Walsh goes up against France’s Amina Zidani, a world bronze medallist this year.

In badminton, Nhat Nguyen bowed out of the men’s singles after losing to Olympic champion Victor Axelsen of Denmark yesterday. “There’s definitely a lot of things that I can learn,” he said. “It has to be like that now. I don’t want to be crying about things.”

Joshua Magee and Paul Reynolds met the same fate in the men’s doubles quarter-finals, losing 2-0 to Denmark’s Kim Astrup and Anders Skaarup Rasmussen.

In canoe slalom, Noel Hendrick and Samuel Curtis got off to a strong start with automatic qualifications in the first run of the Men’s K1 event. Madison Corcoran had to contest a second run to confirm her semi-final place, while Alistair McCreary competed in the second run but didn’t advance.