29
O’Rourke Sisters Secure Silver Medals at IBA Women’s World Boxing Championships
Aoife and Lisa O’Rourke’s Triumphant Journey to the Finals
| Event | Details |
|---|---|
| Event | IBA Women’s World Boxing Championships in Serbia |
| Date | Friday |
| Achievement | Both sisters guaranteed at least silver medals by reaching the finals. |
Lisa O’Rourke’s Path to the Final
| Round | Opponent | Outcome | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Round 1 | Natalia Bogdanova (Kazakh) | Loss | All five judges scored the round for Bogdanova, who landed cleaner shots on the counter. |
| Round 2 | Natalia Bogdanova (Kazakh) | Win (3-2 split) | O’Rourke landed a series of solid rights and finished with a cracking hook. |
| Round 3 | Natalia Bogdanova (Kazakh) | Win (3-2 split) | O’Rourke closed with a superb right, winning 29-28 on three judges’ cards. |
| Next Opponent | Alena Gapeshina (Russia) | Final | O’Rourke fights for her second world title on Sunday. |
Aoife O’Rourke’s Dominant Victory
| Round | Opponent | Outcome | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Round 1 | Nikolina Gajic (Serbia) | Mixed | Two judges gave the round to Gajic, but O’Rourke dominated from the start. |
| Round 2 | Nikolina Gajic (Serbia) | Win | O’Rourke’s relentless, front-foot boxing dismantled Gajic’s defence. |
| Round 3 | Nikolina Gajic (Serbia) | Win | O’Rourke maintained control, landing combinations and a stinging uppercut. |
| Final Score | – | 5:0 | O’Rourke wins unanimously, one judge’ tally 30:24. |
Aaoife O’Rourke’s Reflection and Coach’s Statement
| Commentator | Quote |
|---|---|
| Aoife O’Rourke | “I’m absolutely delighted, I can’t believe it. I just knew that the coaches would have a good plan in place and if I could implement it it would work on my side. Thankfully it did.” |
| Coach Zaur Antia | “A very good hard-working girl and she has a great, big future, we have to work more and more with her if possible.” |
Key Moments in the Fight
| Moment | Description |
|---|---|
| Open Stance | O’Rourke’s strong leading left hand took control of the ring, neutralizing Gajic’s reach advantage. |
| Second Round | O’Rourke landed a series of powerful shots, including a hook that snapped Gajic’s head back. |
| Third Round | O’Rourke maintained control, with cautious but effective aggression. |
Historical Context and Next Steps
| Event | Details |
|---|---|
| Rio 2016 | Michael Conlan’s performance was remarkable but ultimately ended in defeat. Today’s boxing demonstrated remarkable resilience and passion. |
| This Weekend | Aoife O’Rourke will face off for the gold medal, having already secured at least a silver medal. |
