HOLY Family boxer Michaela Walsh was fighting in her fourth consecutive Commonwealth Games final after claiming silver in both Glasgow 2014 and Australia 2018 before finally winning gold in Birmingham four years ago.
This time Michaela was narrowly defeated by the reigning featherweight world champion Jaismine Lamboria of India, missing out on consecutive gold medals to taking silver for a third time. The opening round was very cautious from both but Walsh finished the round well and probably deserved the decision but three of the five judges did not see it this way.
Indian Southpaw Lamboria showed more of her world champion ability in the second round and took the round unanimously. Walsh was the busier of the two but struggled to land anything that would worry her opponent or sway the judges. In the third and final round Lamboria used her experience and superior reach to keep the Belfast fighter at bay who was trying everything she could to find a breakthrough but ultimately it wasn’t to be.
Speaking after she said she was proud of her performances throughout the entire tournament. It is the European Championships up next where Walsh hopes to use this experience "as a springboard to a European title". At 33-years-old she is no stranger to fighting at an elite level and will be ready to go again in six weeks.
Belfast’s Kaci Rock also claimed silver in the Women’s Welterweight division after narrowly losing to England’s Sacha Hickey. The Holy Trinity fighter (daughter of ex-professional boxer Jim Rock) comes from great boxing pedigree and showed her class throughout the games to reach the final in Glasgow.
Belfast’s Jon McConnell secured boxing gold medal at the Commonwealth Games after defeating Wales' Orlando Holley-Sotomi by split decision in the men's light-middleweight final.
Holley-Sotomi made a strong start, landing several powerful left hands that unsettled McConnell during the opening round. However, the Holy Trinity boxer regained his composure in the second, responding well as his Welsh opponent received a one-point deduction for striking him on the back of the head. The final round saw both fighters exchange heavy punches, but McConnell finished strongly, landing several clean shots of his own to edge the contest and claim gold on his Commonwealth Games debut.
