KURT Walker will get the Irish boxing team underway at the Olympic Games on Saturday (4am Irish time) when the Lisburn featherweight tangles with Spain's Jose Quiles.
Victory over the 2017 European bronze medalist will result in a hugely formidable last 16 clash against number one seed, Mirazizbek Mirzakhalilov from Uzbekistan, on Wednesday.
Next up on Sunday (12.45pm) is popular Dublin light-heavyweight, Emmet Brennan, who faces a difficult last 32 clash against World silver medalist Dilshodbek Ruzmetov from Uzbekistan.
There are two Belfast fighters in action in the early hour of Monday with team captain Brendan Irvine getting the ball rolling at 4am against Filipino, Carlo Paalam. Victory for the St Paul's flyweight would see him advance to a last 16 meeting next Saturday with number four seed, Mohammed Flissi.
At 6.30am, Michaela Walsh is in action and despite earning a bye as a seed, the task will be tough as the Black's Road featherweight will meet the winner of tomorrow's opening bout between Italy's Irma Testa - who she lost to in the final at the recent European Qualifier - and her conqueror at the 2019 World Championships, Liudmilla Vorontsova of Russia.
Younger brother, Aidan, steps through the ropes at 3.30am on Tuesday and he has been handed a huge slice of fortune having been seeded in the men's welterweight division so therefore has received a bye into the last 16 where he awaits the winner of tomorrow's opener between Eswatini’s Thabiso Dlamini and Cameroonian Albert Mengue Ayissi.
Aidan Walsh has been given a bye until Tuesday in the men's welterweight category
Cork middleweight, Aoife O'Rourke, begins in the last 16 on Wednesday at 10.15am when she will take on the hugely decorated China's Li Qian who has won World and Asian gold, plus Olympic bronze in the past.
Former World lightweight champion, Kellie Harrington, must wait until next Friday for her opener (3am) with the number one seed earning a bye to the last 16 where she awaits the winner of Tuesday's preliminary bout between Rebecca Nicoli (Italy) and Esmeralda Falcón (Mexico).
See here for the full draw sheets.
Opening bouts (all Irish times)
Saturday
4am: Kurt Walker v Jose Quiles (Spain)
Sunday
12.45pm: Emmet Brennan v Dilshod Ruzmetov (Uzbekistan)
Monday
4am: Brendan Irvine v Carlo Paalm (Philippines)
6.30am: Michaela Walsh v Irma Testa (Italy) or Lludmila Voronstova (ROC)
Tuesday
3.30am: Aidan Walsh v Albert Menque (Cameroon) or Thabiso Dlanini (Swz)
Wednesday
10.15am: Aoife O’Rourke v Li Qian (China)
Friday
3am: Kellie Harrington v Rebecca Nicoli (Italy) or Esmerelda Falcon (Mexico)
