Katie Taylor has qualified for the London 2012 Olympics.
Taylor was due to meet Mihaela Lacatus in the quarter-finals of the 7th AIBA World Women’s Championships and Olympic qualifiers in Qinhuangdao, China this morning (Irish time).
But the Bray woman was granted a walkover after the Romanian withdrew injured.
http://88.85.4.2/pdf/000085/C73B230.PDF
It is understood that Lacatus, a gold medal winner at the 2005 AIBA World Women’s Championships, suffered a neck injury.
In further good news for Taylor, Mavzuna Chorieva of Tajikistan beat Estelle Mossely of France this morning, a result that qualified Taylor for London 2012 as there are three Olympic places available for European boxers in Taylor’s lightweight category.
The Chorieva versus Mossely result ensured that only three Europeans will be in Friday’s semi-finals.
http://88.85.4.2/pdf/000085/C75WW60.PDF
Taylor, Russia’s Sofya Ochigava and England’s Natasha Jonas, who both won this morning, are also through to the last-four and all three will compete at the London 2012 Olympics.
Taylor, who is aiming for her fourth AIBA World title in-a-row in China, will meet Chorieva, who has also qualified for London 2012, in Friday’s lightweight semi-final.
Ochigava and Jonas clash in the corresponding semi-final.
All four semi-finalists are guaranteed at least bronze.
Following today’s results, Taylor, her Bray BC team-mate Adam Nolan, Paddy Barnes, Michael Conlan, John Joe Nevin and Darren O’Neill will represent Ireland in the boxing event at the XXX Olympiad.
Women’s boxing will make its historic debut at the 2012 Games in three weight categories – flyweight, lightweight and middleweight.
7th AIBA World Women’s Championships Qinhuangdao, China
(Afternoon sessions begin at 2pm local time, 7am Irish time)
May 12th
51kg (Last 64)Ceire Smith (Ireland) beat Veglina Svetlana (Tajikistan) RSC3
75kg (Last 64) Sinead Kavanagh (Ireland) lost to Francelis Paez Carmona (Venezuela) 19-23
May 13th
51kg (Last 32) Ceire Smith (Ireland) beat Sarah-Joy Iris Rae (Jamaica) 12-4
May 14th
60Kg (Last 32) Katie Taylor (Ireland) beat Rim Jouini (Tunisia) 19-6
May 15th
51kg (Last 16) Ceire Smith (Ireland) lost to Anna Karolina Michalczuk (Poland) RSC3
60kg (Last 16) Katie Taylor (Ireland) beat Saida Khassenova (Kazakhstan) RSC4
May 16th
60kg (Quarter-finals) Katie Taylor (Ireland) beat Mihaela Lacatus (Romania) W/O
May 18th
(Semi-finals – Afternoon)
60kg Katie Taylor (Ireland) v Mavzuna Chorieva (Tajikistan)
60kg Sofya Ochigava (Russia) v Natasha Jonas (England)
Irish squad
51kg (Flyweight) Ceire Smith (Cavan)
60kg (Lightweight) Katie Taylor (Bray)
75kg (Middleweight) Sinead Kavanagh (Drimnagh)
Team manager: Anna Moore
Coaches: Peter Taylor and Zuar Antia
Physio: Mary Louis Ryan
