Commonwealth Games medal haul for home nation boxers

Liverpool’s lightweight and GB team captain Tom Stalker  (right) defeated Scotland’s Josh Taylor , who had to settle for silver, 11-3 in the final.
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The Liverpudlian lightweight, from Salisbury Amateur Boxing Club, had delighted crowds throughout the tournament with his measured performances that saw him pick off his opponents with accurate punching. The self proclaimed ‘Scally from Huyton’ was delighted afterwards, the team captain lead by example.

The second Scouser to enter the ring today was Rotunda Amateur Boxing Club’s Callum Smith. Smith’s Northern Irish opponent Patrick Gallagher impressively took the gold medal with an 11-6 win in a close contest. Smith became the third member of his family to earn a Commonwealth Games medal for boxing.

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Middlesbrough’s heavyweight Simon Vallily three bouts all ended in stoppage wins capping a top class performance in the final against Northern Ireland’s Steven Ward, who takes home the silver. This was the South Bank ABC boxer’s first Commonwealth Games.

Bradley Saunders had to settle for a Silver medal in the 69kg final. Saunders dropped behind with the scoring very much favouring the Indian Manoj Kumar in the first.  The South Durham ABC boxer lost 11-2, although the score didn’t reflect his work rate in his contest. Bradley will be disappointed, but should be congratulated on coming away with a Commonwealth Games silver. 

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Sean McGoldrick, the 18-year-old from Wales, had to settle for a Silver medal, but  was desperately unlucky to not win  the Gold, coming up just short against the Sri-Lankan Manju Wanniarachchi, losing on count back. It was an impressive display from the young McGoldrick who looks to have a bright future in the game.

Middleweight Anthony Ogogo leaves Delhi with a silver medal, having beaten a difficult path to the finals. The boxer from Triple A Amateur Boxing Club in Lowestoft caused a major upset when he beat local celebrity Vijender Singh in the semis, but was pipped to the gold at 16 points to 4 by Northern Irishman Eamonn O’Kane.

Callum Johnson was very impressive in picking up Scotland’s only gold at light-heavy. Home nation boxers were prolific in their success as Keiran Harding (75kg) and Jermaine Asare (81kg) joined their Welsh team mate, GB boxer Sean McGoldrick, on the podium to claim bronze medals. 

The boxers clinched Northern Ireland’s first Commonwealth gold medals in 16 years and helped the team to their best ever haul of medals – their three gold added to three silver and four bronze

Related articles

• Reformed Vallily ‘can add 2012’ to gold in Delhi (independent.co.uk)
• CGames: India, N. Ireland win boxing treble (sports.inquirer.net)
• Vallily hopes win inspires youths (mirror.co.uk)
• Commonwealth Games: Simon Vallily finds redemption with boxing gold (guardian.co.uk)
• Irish boxing trio strike gold (mirror.co.uk)