Homecoming for European Silver medallist Dean Clancy
THE Clancy household in Ballinode is nearly running out of space as the medals keep flowing for brothers Dean and Jason. Dean, 16, boxed his way to another European Silver medal at the European Championships in Italy and narrowly missed out on a place in the Youth Olympics.
This was Dean’s second European medal in just 7 months, no other boxer has achieved this said his dad Jason.
The 16-year-old who fights in the 52kg category was welcomed back to Sligo with a homecoming reception in the Village Inn on Friday evening where supporters came out to congratulate the young athlete on his fantastic achievement.
Proud dad Jason, who is also his coach, said he did brilliantly at the Championships coming up against some undefeated opponents and proving he is among the best in Europe.
Jason said: “His birthday was actually when we were over there at the Championships in Italy that’s how he qualified.
“He’s been coaching with me since he was 6 years of age.
“He started out at first doing kickboxing over with Michael McDermott and then we said he seemed more suited to boxing and the rest is history,” Jason explained.
The titles and medals have kept coming since for both Dean and his older brother Jason, 19.
“Jason won the Seniors this year and also has two Irish titles.
“We have 5 Irish titles and 2 Europeans medals in the house in eight months. .
“Dean has now won 2 European medals including the Silver he won in Bulgaria last September and he is the only boxer to have done that in the space of 7 months,” Jason said. His dad was over at the Championships with Dean and said he had a lot of fights with few rest days.
“Dean had 3 fights on the trot and that never happens, he got a two time World Champion and a European Champion and he fought a Ukranian lad in the semi-final.
“Dean completely outboxed him in that match, he destroyed him. Everyone was saying it was the fight of the tournament.
“His opponent in the final was Ivan Price from England, he was the European champion last year.
“They used tactics and that got them the win.
“Dean is not a dirty fighter by any means and I thought that the referee was not on Dean’s side at all.
“The match went to the full three rounds and if Dean had won the final he would have qualified for the Youth Olympics in Argentina so that’s disappointing for him. What young fella doesn’t want to fight in the Olympics?”.
The Sligo boxer has already qualified for the World Championships in August and there is still hope that if he places in the medals at that then he could still qualify for the Youth Olympics.
“Dean is the second best in Europe, that is some achievement.
“There was a lot at his homecoming and he is taking a little break this week but will then be back training again during the week,” Jason added.
With two European medals now to his name the future of this teenage boxer looks incredibly bright.