European Games places on the line for Irish kickboxers

Irish kickboxers head into the WAKO European Championships this weekend with more than European medals at stake, as places for the Istanbul 2027 European Games come into focus.

The championships represent a key qualification opportunity for Ireland, with performances determining which athletes can progress towards nomination for Team Ireland.

Under the agreed Kickboxing Ireland and Olympic Federation of Ireland nomination policy, athletes who secure a top-four finish at the European Championships will meet the performance criteria for nomination to the OFI for selection.

There is also an opportunity for athletes reaching the top eight. If an Irish athlete is eliminated at that stage by one of the eventual two finalists, they will also meet the nomination standard.

Kickboxing will feature as a full medal sport at the Istanbul 2027 European Games, taking place from 16 to 27 June 2027. The programme will feature Full Contact, Point Fighting and K1 across men’s and women’s weight categories.

Building on Kraków 2023

Team Ireland kickboxing arrives at this qualification campaign with a strong European Games pedigree.

At Kraków 2023, Irish kickboxers delivered five medals, with Amy Wall taking gold, Nathan Tait and Conor McGlinchey winning silver, and Nicole Bannon and Jodie Browne securing bronze. Kickboxing accounted for five of Team Ireland’s 13 medals across the Games.

It was a breakthrough European Games for Irish kickboxing and provides the backdrop to this weekend’s championships, as the next group of athletes look to secure their opportunity to compete on the European Games stage.

Quota places in kickboxing are allocated to the individual athlete, adding further significance to the performances this weekend. Athletes who achieve the required result will be nominated by Kickboxing Ireland before progressing through the formal Team Ireland selection process.

For Ireland’s leading kickboxers, the opportunity is clear: perform on the European stage and take a major step towards representing Team Ireland at Istanbul 2027.

Read the policies here:

Kickboxing Istanbul 2027