Two-time Olympic lightweight champion Kellie Harrington “is training and looking sharp” but will not take part in the World Boxing Cup in China in June.
Harrington sat out April’s first edition of the 2026 competition in Brazil and is not one of the 11-strong Ireland team that will compete in Guiyang City from 15-21 June following a two-week training camp in China.
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The World Boxing Cup is an opportunity to bank ranking points which can prove valuable when next year’s Olympic qualifiers begin, but Ireland’s high performance director Jon Mackey says the 36-year-old Dubliner is “playing the long game”.
Harrington initially retired following the defence of her Olympic title in Paris two years ago, but made the decision to return last year, picking up a gold medal at December’s Odivelas Box Cup in Portugal before securing a 12th Irish Elite title in January.
“With Kellie, what I’ve learned is that it’s very much just one foot after the next in terms of just taking slow steps and building herself back into the sport, but she’s training and looking sharp,” Mackey told BBC Sport NI.
“She has her eyes very much fixated on next year and the [Olympic] qualification process, but she plays the long game and she’s clever in how she does that.
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“It’s safe to say she’s in good form and we’ll see what happens in the near future.”
Four new faces in squad for China
Of the 11 names selected to compete in China, there are four newcomers including Jobstown Boxing Club pair Josh Olaniyan – who was forced to withdraw from the Brazil tournament due to injury – and Tadhg O’Donnell, while Galway natives Cliona D’Arcy and Adam Hession are set to make their World Boxing Cup debuts.
There are returns for Daina Moorehouse and Dean Clancy – who both exited at the quarter-final stage in Brazil – as-well-as fellow Olympians Jenny Lehane, Michaela Walsh, and Jack Marley, while Jon McConnell and Evelyn Igharo retain their places from the squad that travelled to Brazil.
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“Sparring camp in Brazil was really beneficial and we went deeper into the competition with some of the athletes than we did previously, so we can carry momentum into China,” said interim head coach Damian Kennedy.
“Off the back of the selection process that we developed, we had the team actually effectively picked itself for heading to China but we have some newcomers which is a great opportunity for them.
“There’s still a couple managing injuries were not going to risk but we know the Commonwealth Games is around the corner and this is going to be good preparation for the guys that are participating there.”
Team Ireland
51kg: Daina Moorehouse (Enniskerry BC, Wicklow)
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54kg: Jenny Lehane (DCU BC, Dublin)
57kg: Michaela Walsh (Holy Family BC, Belfast)
60kg: Adam Hession (Monivea BC, Galway)
65kg: Dean Clancy (Sean McDermott BC, Leitrim)
70kg: Jon McConnell (Holy Trinity BC, Belfast)
70kg: Evelyn Igharo (Clann Naofa BC, Louth)
75kg: Tadhg O’Donnell (Jobstown BC, Dublin)
80kg: Josh Olaniyan (Jobstown BC, Dublin)
80+kg: Cliona D’Arcy (Tobar Pheadair BC, Galway)
90kg: Jack Marley (Monkstown BC, Dublin)
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