Team Ireland is coming home from the European Games in Minsk with a gold medal after Kurt Walker won his bantamweight final this morning.
The Lisburn boxer beat Ukrainian Mykolo Butsenko on a unanimous points decision on Sunday.
Walker was 4th seed in the division and a close encounter saw him come out on top against the 2nd seed, with three of the judges awarding him all three rounds.
The 24-year-old's medal is Ireland’s first gold of the games and it brings Ireland's total boxing medal tally to six as attention now turns towards the road to the Tokoyo 2020 Olympics.
BOXING HIS WAY TO GOLD!!!
#TeamIreland #Minsk2019 pic.twitter.com/49nKHUa0MY
— Team Ireland (@TeamIreland) June 30, 2019
Dubliner and team captain Kellie Harrington announced this morning that she will not take part in her lightweight final.
The World Champion picked up a hand injury in her semi-final win over Sweden's Agnes Alexiusson, so will have to settle for silver, with Finland's Mira Potkonen receiving a walkover.
Reacting to the decision Harrington said she's disappointed but has to take the bigger picture into account.
"It would be too much of a risk to go in there and have another setback. I totally respect the advice of the medical staff and the decision of the Performance Director."
"While I’m disappointed...It’s been an honor to be captain of this boxing team and I can’t wait to watch our team collect their medals, and I will carry my silver medal with pride."
"I’m looking forward to getting home, recovering and getting back at it as soon as possible."
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