Clancy narrowly misses out on medal
SLIGO boxer Dean Clancy at just 16 years of age narrowly missed out on a medal at the World Youth Olympics on Wednesday when he finished fourth in the Men’s Fly in Buenos Aires.
Ballinacarrow’s Dean was defeated by Brazil’s Luiz Gabriel Chalot de Oliviera, who is 2 years older than the Sligo boxer, in the Bronze Medal Bout.
Speaking to Team Ireland Dean said afterward that he learned a lot from fighting the world bronze medallist and it is experience from bouts like these that will stand to him in the future.
“It didn’t go my way today, but it is what it is, he got the better of me today. Every fight is valuable experience and he’s two years older than me. He’s the world bronze medallist and I tried my best, but he’s two years ahead of me.”
In between the rounds coach Dmitri Dmitruk offered advice to the Ballinacarrow boxer,
Dean explained: “He just wanted me to establish my jab, and find my range, and try not to rush him.
“But I got caught up, he’s very good. He’s very sharp.”
Clancy is determined to use this as valuable learning and to build on the experience gained,
“To get here is a massive achievement, the whole experience is amazing, this is my first tournament ever being with multiple sports. I’m sharing my room with a karate person and a golfer – I was never around that before.
“I learnt a lot – valuable experience, it is what it is. It will push me on to be better, I’m still youth next year.” Dean lost the semi-final bout to eventual Gold medallist Ivan Price from Britain. Dean defeated African champion Hichem Maouche of Algeria in the quarter -finals.
Grange swimmer Mona McSharry was also among the Team Ireland group of 16 athletes and the World Junior champion smashed another Irish Senior record when competing in the 50m Freestyle at the World Youth Olympics in Argentina, where she cemented her place as Ireland’s fastest ever female swimmer and the 18-year-old also finished fourth in both the 50m and 100m breaststroke finals at the competition.
The county of Leitrim and the whole of Ireland was celebrating the heroics of local teenage boxer Dearbhla Rooney who won a Bronze medal at the World Youth Olympics on Wednesday.
The 17-year-old Manorhamilton native beati New Zealander Te Shelford-Edmonds in the women’s featherweight to bring the Bronze medal back to Leitrim.
She told Team Ireland after that she was delighted. “I’m absolutely over the moon. If you told me this time last year,
“I’d never have believed I’d be on the Youth Olympic team, let alone be coming away with a bronze medal.”
Rooney missed out on the gold medal bout, defeated by the eventual champion from Thailand, Panpatchara Somnuek,
“I was heartbroken yesterday after losing in the semis to Thailand, but she’s a very strong girl, she stopped the Slovakian three-time European Champion in the bout before me.
“She also stopped me in the worlds beforehand – so it is a positive I’m up there with the best in the world it just made me come back and win the bronze.”
Seventeen-year-old Rooney has been passionate about boxing since taking it up aged eleven, “I started when I was eleven, my brother was going in to do a bit of boxing, so I said I’d go along with him.
“I picked it up fast and enjoyed the training. I won my first all-Ireland that year.”
The Bronze medallist thanked everyone who supports her. “Thanks so much to everyone who supported me, there’s so many people, my club coaches, my sponsors, and everyone as well.” Rooney’s family also trav- elled to watch her compete in Buenos Aires, after winning her medal, Rooney said: “I haven’t really been talking to them yet, but I could hear them definitely, the loudest ones here.
“Lauren [Kelly] is brilliant at supporting, and so is the rest of the Irish team, a big thank you to them as well.” Team Ireland had 16 athletes at the competition with 3 alone from the Northwest which was a great achievement from the area. Dearbhla carried the Irish flag and led the team at the Closing Ceremony on Thursday.