TWENTY FIVE Irish Elite champions were crowned at the National Stadium in Dublin on January 21.
An important factor in selection for the European Games in Poland this June – which double as an Olympic qualifier – there was a bumper lineup of talent on show, including Olympic, World, European and Commonwealth medallists.
The welterweight decider between Dundalk southpaw Amy Broadhurst and Tullamore’s Gráinne Walsh drew the most attention. With Olympic champion Kellie Harrington occupying the lightweight berth, Broadhurst has been competing recently at lightwelterweight, where she won World and European gold in 2022. But moving further up in weight proved to be a bridge too far for Broadhurst.
Walsh, an European Games and EU Championships bronze medallist, had been limited to just two bouts since 2019 due to a recurring thumb injury, but relaunched
