LAST UPDATE | 26 Jun 2023

REIGNING OLYMPIC LIGHTWEIGHT champion Kellie Harrington and her Irish teammates Jenny Lehane and Kelyn Cassidy are each just one win away from securing qualification for the Paris Olympics next summer after their respective last-16 successes during Monday’s afternoon session at the European Games in Kraków-Małopolska, Poland.

Jack Marley was also victorious in his heavyweight last-16 contest and is just one win away from a first major international medal, albeit the Dubliner must reach the final at 92kg in order to seal Olympic qualification.

World no.1 Harrington was in merciless form as she battered Armenia’s Elida Kocharyan to take a 5-0 unanimous decision (30-27, 30-25, 30-24, 30-26×2) and reach the 60kg quarter-finals.

The 33-year-old will face Sweden’s Agnes Alexiusson, who she has beaten three times previously, for another European medal and a spot on the plane to Paris next year.

#TeamIreland's 54kg Jennifer Lehane has won her #EG2023 last 16 bout - and is one win away from a podium finish, and #Paris2024 pic.twitter.com/5VkRXSIuI4

— IABA (@IABABOXING) June 26, 2023

At 54kg, Meath woman Jenny Lehane also earned a unanimous verdict over 2021 European Youth champion Antonia Giannakopoulou of Greece, albeit theirs was a far tighter contest.

Lehane, 24, had a point deducted for holding in the first but out-muscled and out-hustled her 19-year-old opponent to take the bout on scores of 29-27 x2, 28-28 x3.

Standing in Lehane’s way in her 54kg quarter-final will be the formidable Bulgarian Stanimira Petrova, a world champion in 2014 who has since won five European medals — including gold at these Games four years ago.

Waterford’s Kelyn Cassidy was also unanimously victorious over highly rated British opponent Taylor Bevan — and like Lehane, he will face an elite fighter in his 80kg quarter: Ukraine’s 2017 world champion and Tokyo Olympic silver medallist Oleksandr Khyzhniak.

Cassidy, a former World Championship quarter-finalist who was selected this time around over his roommate, reigning 75kg European champion Gabriel Dossen, gave Bevan a standing count en route to a 5-0 victory (30-27 x2, 29-28 x3).

Dublin’s Jack Marley, a standout up-and-comer at national level, was pushed hard by Vagkan Nanitzanian of Greece but was well deserving of his 4-1 split decision (30-27 x2, 29-28 x2, 28-29).

Marley will face Croatia’s Marko Calic for a spot on the podium at least, and is now two wins away from sealing a spot at next summer’s Paris Games.

Two more Irish boxers — Amy Broadhurst and Sean Mari — will take to the ring in Monday’s evening session.

Written by Gavan Casey and posted on the42.ie