Irish Boxing Shines in Liverpool: Three Medals at the World Championships
It was a weekend to remember for Irish boxing, as the team returned from the 2025 World Championships in Liverpool with three medals, including a stunning gold for Aoife O’Rourke. The results mark one of Ireland’s strongest performances on the global stage in recent years.
Gold for Aoife O’Rourke
Double Olympian Aoife O’Rourke delivered the performance of her career, capturing gold in the women’s 75kg division.
O’Rourke impressed throughout the tournament, beating opponents from Czechia, Norway and China before producing a dominant display in the final against Busra Isildar (Turkey). She won by unanimous decision to claim her first world crown.
“It’s a great honour to win gold for Ireland,” O’Rourke said afterwards. “This medal is for everyone who has supported me along the way.”
Bronze for Gráinne Walsh
Gráinne Walsh secured bronze in the women’s 65kg category, underlining her consistency at the top level.
Walsh reached the semi-finals after an impressive quarter-final victory over Yang Liu (China), the Paris 2024 Olympic silver medallist. She eventually bowed out to Kazakhstan’s Aida Abikeyeva, taking home a well-earned place on the podium.
Breakthrough for Patsy Joyce
Nineteen-year-old Patsy Joyce announced himself on the world stage with bronze in the men’s 55kg division.
The teenager stunned the field by defeating Mirazizbek Mirzakhalilov (Uzbekistan), a seasoned former world champion, in the quarter-finals. His run ended in the semi-finals against Spain’s Rafael Serrano Lozano, but his medal marks him out as one of the rising stars of Irish boxing.
Athletics: Top 10 for McCormack, Healy and Tuthill into finals
Ireland’s largest-ever team is currently in action at World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, with several athletes making an impact in the opening days.
Fionnuala McCormack’s Marathon Top-10 Finish
Four time Olympian Fionnuala McCormack produced another strong championship performance, finishing 9th in the women’s marathon. Her best result at World Championship level.
Sarah Healy Reaches First Global Final
Sarah Healy broke new ground by reaching her first World Championship final in the women’s 1,500m. Her composure in the heats and semis marked a major step forward and confirmed her growing stature on the international stage. In the same event Sophie O’Sullivan ran an incredible heat to make her first world championship semi final.
Nicola Tuthill’s Hammer Throw Progress
Nicola Tuthill produced a superb performance on her World Championships debut, throwing 70.70m in qualifying to secure a place in the final. Reaching the final at just 20 years old underlines her potential to challenge at the very highest level in future championships.
Other Irish Highlights
– Sharlene Mawdsley advanced to the 400m semi-finals with a 51.04s run.
– Sarah Lavin advanced from her heats in the 100m hurdles heats.
– Andrew Coscoran advanced through the 1,500m heats.
Gymnastics: Slevin, Hilton & Hickey Impress in Paris
At the FIG World Challenge Cup Finals in Paris, Irish gymnasts made their mark in front of a crowd of 15,000 at the Accor Arena.
Emma Slevin was composed and elegant on the balance beam, finishing 4th, just one tenth shy of a podium.
Halle Hilton also reached the beam final, placing 7th with 11.966.
James Hickey, on his senior international debut, held his composure to score 14.066 in the pommel horse final, finishing 7th and improving on his qualification score.
Gymnastics Ireland CEO Ciaran Gallagher hailed the results as proof of depth emerging in the national programme:
“Superb results… Today’s performance shows the depth emerging in our system, with huge credit due to the gymnasts, coaches and clubs working in partnership with our national performance team and Sport Ireland Institute. An important step at the start of the LA Olympic cycle.”
Cycling: Dunne’s Bronze & Gillespie’s Road Victory
Ronan Dunne Takes World Downhill Bronze
Ronan Dunne made history at the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships in Valais, Switzerland, where Ronan Dunne stormed to bronze in the Men’s Elite Downhill.
Dunne’s powerful and precise run secured Ireland’s first senior downhill medal at world level, confirming his place among the very best in gravity mountain biking.
♀️ Cross Country: Valuable Race Experience
Three Irish XC riders gained vital exposure at the World Championships – Greta Lawless – 37th in Junior Women
– Ryan Daly – 82nd in Junior Men
– Chris Dawson – 66th in Elite Men
While not medal positions, these results represent an important step in Ireland’s XC development pathway.
♀️ Lara Gillespie: Dominant Win in France
On the road, Lara Gillespie sprinted to a superb victory at A Travers les Hauts de France (UCI 1.1) on September 13. Her first road race victory of the year. Over a 127.7 km route in wet, attritional conditions, she stayed perfectly positioned thanks to strong UAE Team ADQ support.