Commonwealth Games 2026: Five Team NI boxers one win from the podium

Five Northern Ireland boxers are one win away from a Commonwealth Games’ medal following Wednesday’s draw.

Kaci Rock, Michaela Walsh, Jansseen Hill, Garyn McAllister and Willie John McCartan will all enter the competition at the quarter-final stage next Tuesday and Wednesday in Glasgow.

Defending featherweight champion Walsh will face Scotland’s Lara Brown in Wednesday’s afternoon session, as the Holy Family GG boxer seeks to return to the podium for a fourth-straight Games having won silver at the 2014 edition in Glasgow and again four years later at Gold Coast.

Welterweight Rock takes on Niue’s Karen Te Ruki Pasene on Tuesday afternoon, which will also see heavyweight McAllister take on Ghana’s Jibril Muntari.

In Wednesday’s evening session at the SEC Centre, light-heavyweight Hill faces 2025 World bronze medallist Chantelle Reid from England, while super-heavyweight McCartan will meet Ghana’s Daniel Plange.

The boxing tournament begins on Friday and bantamweight Louis Rooney is the first Northern Ireland boxer in action, taking on Lesthotho’s Mathealira Seholoholo in the opening round at bantamweight and should the Star ABC man prevail, he will meet Australia’s Jye Dixon on Sunday in the last 16.

Nicole Clyde begins her bantamweight challenge on Sunday against Ghana’s Nancy Bamfo, while welterweight JP Hale is also in action at the least 16 stage with his opponent to be determined.

On Monday, 2022 featherweight champion Jude Gallagher makes his bow when he boxes in the last 16 stage at lightweight with his opponent to be determined, while light-heavyweight Eoghan Quinn is a similar scenario,

Also on Monday’s last 16 bouts, flyweight Caitlin Fryers meets Bangladesh’s Zinnat Ferdous, while light-middleweight Jon McConnell is tasked with India’s Sumit Kundu.

All quarter-finals are scheduled for Tuesday, 28 July and Wednesday, 29 July with Thursday a rest day before the semi-finals on Friday, 31 July and finals on Saturday, 1 August.