Road to Tokyo 2020 - Irish Olympic News

I have been an avid follower though not always a contributor to this discussion board since 2013 and I have just spent approximately an hour or so tonight catching up on the chat during the games that I had missed over the last few days. It made for compelling reading. I absolutely live for the Olympics when they come around and managed to get to London with my Dad in 2012 for a few days (and hope that I and my son will get to Paris in three years time). This discussion board has become an integral part of following Team Ireland in their quest to qualify for both Rio and Tokyo. Like many of you I am beginning to suffer withdrawal symptoms since the closing ceremony and have now resorted to watching the repeats on Eurosport. For those of you really suffering I suggest you go to the Eurosport Youtube channel, there's months of viewing individual sports events from Tokyo. I don't know who is the discussion organiser or moderator but I just wanted to thank you and the contributors for what is a fantastic discussion board with some seriously knowledgeable people with fantastic insights and debates. Looking forward to the creation of Road to Paris 2024, cheers!

I 100% feel the same way. The days after an Olympics closes are some of the worst downers. Hopefully Discovery plus leave up their Olympics stuff. Will eventually get to Artistic Swimming and Rhythmic Gymnastics.

The big saviour this time is the three year wait. That's less time, than back to the 2018 World Cup which to me, feels like yesterday. Qualification events will start next year and technically we are a quarter the way through this Olympic Cycle.

Kellie got 2 cautions for holding in R3, Ferreira got one. Not a huge factor, I don't think. I'd love to see stats for punches landed. Ferreira landed a fair few decent ones in a good fight with a lot of give and take, but I thought she missed with an awful lot more, mostly because Kellie was too elusive for her. I think Kellie held sway on all the vital aspects of the fight, movement, range, accuracy, punching. Not by huge amounts but enough to make her a clear winner.

Roche and Martin from the cycling won't be there but cycling allocation is based on the nations record not a riders personal qualification so when might still have the same number of riders but I reckon we will have less due to changes in allocation for Paris

I'd be very surprised if Harrington and Walker don't turn professional. I am sure they will have offers in abundance. €40,000 sports grant might might sound a lot but its pittance to what they could earn as professionals.

I hope I am wrong but I doubt we will come near qualifying 116 for Paris. Not unless we again qualify two teams and to me, it looks like the women's hockey team is going to break apart.

In any case I think such speculation should wait for the Road to Paris tread whenever it starts! Its great to have posters on this tread this past few weeks but there were times, even pre-pandemic when there were months between posts.

Walker is very possible, yes. I'm not at all sure about Kellie though. Katie Taylor had been around for many years on the elite amateur international scene, winning her first world championship way back in 2006. Kellie is a relative latecomer to top level amateur boxing and has yet to even win a European title. I think she'd be much better off staying with the Olympic cycle.

Another problem with the pro game is that it leaves you largely anonymous. Yes, you get well paid but it's all on pay-for-view TV, meaning 99% of people in your own country can't even see you box. Even Katie Taylor has probably lost a lot of media visibility in Ireland since she went pro.

All in all, Kellie being boxing team captain in Paris (assuming she can qualify) sounds a far better bet and also would give her lots of time to spend with her partner and her family and her dogs etc.

I imagine Amy Broadhurst will be singing the praises of going pro to her when she gets the chance. Amy is decent enough and will definitely give Kellie something to think about should they end up fighting for that spot.

In 2024, she'll be 34, could still turn pro at that stage if she wanted, would have 2-3 good years in her. As you say, she's a relatively late bloomer, loads left in the tank. She has the chance to achieve something Katie never managed, got to be powerful motivation I'd think. Don't know could Broadhurst move up, there's the 63kg at the worlds that's no bother but the 69kg for the Olympics is a big stretch. Not sure that's an option really, don't think so.

Edit: forgot they've obviously brought in featherweight which is 57kg, so much more realistic option. Could look at that alright I suppose.

I think it will be very tough to match or pass the team of 116 for Paris (I believe 117 competitors actually took part in the end - Cathal Daniels from the original 116 didn't compete but two reserves took part in the equestrian events).

The Hockey team has reached the end of a cycle and something similar happened with the men's team when they narrowly failed to qualify. The Sevens team were a bit lucky to sneak in and will likely need to improve to make Paris, however it looks like there will be investment coming their way.

Katie Taylor's experience in Rio might suggest to Harrington that she shouldn't go back a second time - possibly more for her to lose than to gain. A lot might depend on how much she can earn in endorsements off the back of the gold medal, if it's a lot it might convince her to stay on. The prospect of a big money Taylor v Harrington pro match up might tempt her too though.

However, it could be a case of quality over quantity next time. We should send strong boxing and rowing teams once again, Rhys McClenaghan should be back, the athletics team might be smaller but more competitive and someone like Wiffen or McSharry may have kicked on further in the pool. Hopefully we will send a larger and stronger sailing team also, that was an unusually small group this time around.

And there were no Irish competitiors in any of the athletics field events in Tokyo. Hopefully that will change in Paris.

I thought Katie was just as good in Rio. She lost a very close fight that IMO she deserved....won't say robbery, but I thought a poor call.

Same as her loss to Estelle in 2016 worlds.....she won that fight.....judging was off.

The issue in Rio was exaggerated due to an arrogance from fans/media. Our lads that lost all were brilliant. Paddy Barnes was magnificent in his loss, and IMO deserved the win. Conlan deserved the win.. It was then spun to make out that the team was weak/disjointed and not prepared...sure, there may well have been issues in the team, but those three losses all ad brilliant performances that I felt deserved the wins.

I disagree...I watched that fight several times, and purely on visuals and what happened, Katie was as good as ever. She won the fight IMO; it was not the correct decision.

Barnes the same. Fought like a demon and won the fight. And was making excuses afterwards for his showing. His showing was superb.

Conlan fought out of his skin to beat a man that was top class, and man that had beaten him twice already I think.

The issue was that there seemed to be a hype and an arrogance about our boxes, as if they had some divine right to win. And when we lost these fights, everyone went looking for excuse

The three losers fought brilliantly, and IMO all three deserved the win!

Hopefully the crowds back in 2024 in Paris! Thought some of the events needed more crowds especially the athletics - nothing beats a packed stadium for the athletics !

I can't see there is any less validity to me saying Katie was below her best in Rio and you claiming Mira just excelled her previous performances. It's just the exact same assumption based on a fight that was extremely closely fought. It's just my opinion that a peak Katie Taylor would be winning that fight without any doubt or speculation and to compare it with Kellie fight of a career at the weekend is simply wrong. If Katie was truly "brilliant" against Potkonen then I'm afraid the oxford dictionary is simply inadequate to describe the many many performances when she did truly excel.