Good Luck to Ireland's Olympians!

[fullastern]

Just thought I'd like to take this opportunity on the opening day of the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing to wish the best of luck to all of Ireland's Olympians. It's a much smaller team this year and there don't seem to be any great illusions about medal hopes but lets hope they all perform at their best and wish them all the best.

[Katy]

All the very best, to all the Irish Team Members, cheers Katy

[Ned Kelly]

Come on JJ nevin!

[Ned Kelly]

OLYMPIC BOXING: FROM MULLINGAR to Beijing took a big leap of imagination for John Joe Nevin. And last night, in the Worker's Stadium, the "baby" of the Irish boxing camp, as the Irish team manager, Billy Walsh, called him, took a notable step in his boxing life.
He looked at home as he was escorted into the fabulous, downtown arena. Wherever there is a stretch of canvas and rope, there are Irish fans, and they were in fine voice for the bantamweight as he renewed a testy acquaintance with Abdelhalim Ourradi from Algeria.
It was a cagey beginning, the five judges awarding no score in the first round.
But, after Nevin loosened up, he was able to find the sweet spot, repeatedly punishing the North African with swift, straight right hands and then skipping out of danger.
By the end, it was comfortable: Nevin won 9-4, scoring three straight points in the last round as he circled around the edge of the dancefloor, eluding the increasingly rushed attacks of Ourradi, who made it to the quarter-finals on his Olympic debut in the ring on Sydney harbour eight years ago.
Perhaps Ourradi saw something of his former self in the Westmeath teenager as the lanterns were extinguished here in Beijing. Nevin is a classic, late-teenage combination of athletic swagger and painful modesty, and, judging by the smiles he was getting from Olympic officials and stewards in the long corridor that leads from the arena, he is a popular young man here.
"Before the fight, they were telling me to believe in myself," he told us, his long, blue gown hanging off his frame and beads of perspiration slipping down his pale face.
"And we are getting really well looked after by the high-performance team. I am only 19 and I need all the help I can get.
"It was a slow start but it is a big stage, the Olympics.
"The lads started saying the right hand to the head - it was working every time. Once I got it off - left hand to the body, right to the head - it was working."
It was. Nevin got involved in an awkward opening round where neither boxer landed a punch of significance, but despite getting locked into repeated clinches with Ourradi, he began to exploit the Algerian. And although that right was the chief weapon, he scored one great shot with his left, feinting with a big, looping right and then catching Ourradi with a jab.
The four points the Irishman conceded were down to basic errors rather than limitations.
After landing two quick points, Nevin became a bit adventurous in his attack and gave Ourradi enough daylight to land two quick punches.
Later, both men were penalised two penalty points. But in the last two rounds, Nevin bossed the ring.
"There is a bit of needle between them and you could see that," Walsh said. "There was a lot of tension in his body all yesterday and we were trying to get him to relax.
"His timing is excellent normally but today it wasn't what it should be. But he is in the tournament now. The next guy (Nevin will face) is probably going to be the world silver medallist.
"John Joe is back to the situation where he is a nobody going in and he performs well like that. This is a big stage for him and he is the baby. He is quiet, a funny kid and a smart cookie too."
The Irish team have had an auspicious beginning to the tournament, and last night Walsh praised their collective mindset. He reminisced that Kenneth Egan, the Irish captain, had paid a visit to Pádraig Harrington's house last year, and over a cup of tea the sportsmen talked about the importance of mental strength.

[Katy]

Cheers Ned, thats one great post.....good to see I am not the only one hooked on Olympic games......mind you watching the swimmers and runners.....phew!! wish I was as fit.....:)Katy

[Ned Kelly]

*Sigh* JJ got bate last night, but still Kenny Egan has a fight for a medal on tuesday, go for it Kenny!

[Kieran]

I think Egan is our best hope, he should get some medal, and will soon after go pro like so many before him!

[Ned Kelly]

any colour will do!

[Ned Kelly]

A tale of two boxers brings Irish Olympic story exploding to life



http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/images/2008/0820/thumb/1219158422250_1.jpg?ts=1219228311 (http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/images/2008/0820/1219158422250_1.html)Kenny Egan is awarded the win following his bout against Brazil's Washington Silva in the light heavyweight (81kg) division Olympic boxing quarter-final at the Workers' Gymnasium in Beijing yesterday. Photograph: Harry How/Getty Images

TOM HUMPHRIES in BeijingTHE HIGH beams of the Workers' Gymnasium shook to the marching song of the great proletariat. "Olé, Olé, Olé," they sang. "You'll never beat the Irish."
Below in the squared ring first Paddy Barnes of Belfast and then Kenny Egan of Neilstown, Dublin, backed up that hoary old boast.
Two quarter-final wins in their respective Olympic boxing tournaments guarantees Ireland two medals at the weekend. In all likelihood, by Sunday evening the humble sport of boxing will have accounted for at least half of the medals Ireland has won at various Olympiads.
These Olympics, which were shaping up as a Long March type of exercise involving the grim setting of the daily casualty lists, suddenly exploded for Ireland yesterday. Tuesday in Beijing was a tale of two boxers.
First Paddy Barnes, a diminutive lightweight-fly boxer from Belfast, opened the evening's programme at the Workers' Gymnasium with a performance that suggested his youthfulness only in the confident manner of its delivery.
Just 21 years old, Barnes has bucked the trend of Irish Olympism and over-achieved. The expedition was supposed to be an occasion of learning for the young man. It has become a procession.
"My aim coming here was just to get a fight. I'll get a medal now and it is beyond my dreams," said Barnes. By winning his quarter-final and guaranteeing himself at least a bronze medal at the weekend, Barnes became the 10th Irishman to achieve an Olympic boxing medal.
Two hours later it was the turn of the Irish team captain to finish out the first 11. Kenny Egan stepped into the ring as a hard-luck story. He failed to qualify for Athens four years ago and, as he says himself, cried into his pillow over it for a few nights.
Egan is 26 years old and has four failed tilts at world championships under his belt. Yesterday, fate unfolded sweetly for him. Facing Washington Silva, a rather cautious Brazilian, Egan mixed some solid attacking boxing with his trademark brilliant defence to win by 8-0.
"I conceded two in my first fight, two in my second and none today. That's how I have the looks that I have," joked Egan.
Barnes's and Egan's medals are the first Ireland has won in the ring since the 1992 Games in Barcelona when, in a gentle parallel, Wayne McCullough, a Belfast man, and Michael Carruth, a Dubliner, brought back baubles. Egan noted that it was the sight of Carruth winning gold that sent him as an eight-year-old to join the local boxing club in Neilstown.
The story doesn't end with yesterday's scenes. Today, former DCU student Darren Sutherland fights in yet another quarter-final, bidding to become the third Irishman of the five who qualified for Beijing to go home with a metal object in his luggage.

[Ned Kelly]

Darren gets a bronze at least, go for it boyo!

[fullastern]

Well done to the lads. Boxing seems to be our most consistent olympic sport. Any budding Jack Doyle's coming up (and I mean the boxing not the carousing!).

[Ned Kelly]

I watched the Kenny Egan contest, no sour grapes here but the man was robbed!
Fresh air shots from the chinese guy were counted but Egan hit him heaps of times and No points???? Irelande non pointe, sounds like the eurovision all over again!

[fullastern]

Whatever about the final outcome the judging for all of the boxing competitions was very suspect. I agree with you Ned, we woz robbed! I think the system they use is silly - each of the three judges has a button which they must press more or less simultaneously in order for a point to be awarded.

[Katy]

Congrats and Well Done to the Irish Medal Winners.......On the news it said they are flying into Dublin today for a mega welcome.....cheers Katy:):)

[Ned Kelly]

One wonders with all the tech no how in china was the scoring fiddled with somehow?
Did i say that???? Nah never, as if that would happen, feckin right it could, specially if the scoring was wireless!

[Kieran]

Egan said he was going Pro after the olympics. Now he is hesitating and may want to have another crack at the olympics 2012 in London. Hes hesitating now becasue he knows he should have taken gold last week. That means he may now waste 4 years of his Pro career over that con job.

[Katy]

Sorry, not up on rules etc for boxing, but is that right if he goes pro, then he cant go into the Olympics 2012.....oohh!! cheers Katy

[Kieran]

Unfortunately thats the case Katy. The olympics is considered as an amarture competition, though we all know it isnt. The Agentine football team took gold -all full time players paid for playing.

[Katy]

Cheers for the info Kieran, surely though the rules need looked at. How can you have an up and coming Athlete/Sportsperson, who has to compete against full time pros..........ooohh!! :confused: cheers Katy:)

[Katy]

Anyone been watching the Para Olympics, my only hope is that they get the same television coverage...as no matter what sport is their best, they are all brilliant:) cheers Katy

[Ned Kelly]

What i want to know is when the paralytic olympics is on, me self and a few others from the homeplace would win gold, thats for sure!

[Katy]

:D:D:Dand dont forget your Taytos Crisps:D

[Ned Kelly]

MMM TAYTOS!
Just saw an Irish fella win gold at paralympics!

[Kieran]

Cobhman Charlie Ryan won gold in Darts at the transplant games in Germany last week!

[Katy]

Congratulations to Charlie Ryan, Cobh:):)