“I am determined to do everything in my power to become an Olympian.”
Irish former world champion Amy Broadhurst is on the brink of making a sensational switch and represent the UK instead of Ireland, in a bid to make the 2024 Olympics.
Broadhurst has been fighting to achieve her Olympic dream for her entire life, but was told by the Irish Athletic Boxing Association last week that she would not be going forward to the final Olympic qualifying tournament in May.
In a statement released on Twitter, the Dundalk native said the following:
In a statement released on Twitter tonight, Broadhurst confirmed that she was “exploring all options available to me keep that (Olympic) dream alive.”
“I was left broken-hearted and completely devastated when I was informed by the IABA that I would be assessed for selection ahead of the final Olympic qualifier in May and that my Olympic ambitions were effectively over,” Broadhurst wrote.
“I have won World, European and Commonwealth gold medals and remain the IABA’s highest rated boxer in the current world rankings but my lifelong dream has been to become an Olympian. I have split blood, sweat and tears over 22 years in the boxing ring in pursuit of that childhood goal.
“Since being informed of the IABA’s decision, I have been exploring all options available to me to keep that dream alive. I will continue to do so because the Olympic flame continues to burn brightly in me and I am determined to do everything in my power to become an Olympian.”
Despite cleaning up the the European, Commonwealth and World Championship titles at super lightweight/light welterweight (63kg) in 2022, that is not an Olympic weight.
Broadhurst has been dealing with an injury that has kept her out of the ring for a considerable amount of time, and before that she was beaten by Grain in the Irish welterweight (66kg) national final in January 2023.
Walsh was controversially beaten by a split decision in the first Olympic qualifying tournament in Italy earlier this month and the IABA has decided to send the Offaly woman, rather than Broadhurst to the final qualifier in Bangkok.
