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Irish boxers Amy Broadhurst and Lisa O’Rourke arrive home victorious from Istanbul
Amy Broadhurst and Lisa O'Rourke of Ireland at Dublin Airport on their return from the IBA Women's World Boxing Championships 2022 in Turkey. Picture: Sportsfile
Lisa O'Rourke of Ireland meeting her family at Dublin Airport on their return from the IBA Women's World Boxing Championships 2022 in Turkey. Photo by Oliver McVeigh/Sportsfile
Amy Broadhurst of Ireland with her grandad Paddy Sands and nephew Zac Broadhurst at Dublin Airport on their return from the IBA Women's World Boxing Championships 2022 in Turkey. Photo by Oliver McVeigh/Sportsfile
21 May 2022; Lisa O'Rourke of Ireland greeted by her family at Dublin Airport on their return from the IBA Women's World Boxing Championships 2022 in Turkey. Photo by Oliver McVeigh/Sportsfile
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Victorious Irish boxers Amy Broadhurst and Lisa O’Rourke received a rapturous welcome home on Saturday after their historic wins at the Women’s World Elite Boxing Championships in Istanbul.
The pair won their finals back-to-back, meaning Ireland went from three to five world amateur champions in the space of half an hour as they joined Katie Taylor, Michael Conlan and Kellie Harrington, who had previously won world gold.
Dundalk native Broadhurst — who will represent Northern Ireland at this summer’s Commonwealth Games — won the light-welterweight decider against Algeria’s Imane Khelif.
Lisa O'Rourke of Ireland meeting her family at Dublin Airport on their return from the IBA Women's World Boxing Championships 2022 in Turkey. Photo by Oliver McVeigh/Sportsfile
Roscommon’s O’Rourke then won the 70kg final against Mozambique’s Helena Alcinda Panguana.
Arriving back in Dublin airport today, light middleweight world champion O’Rourke said she was thrilled to be back and with the memories she made.
Light welterweight world champion Broadhurst said she was still coming to terms with the achievement.
Both received prize money of US$100,000.
“It’s nice but I won’t be happy until it hits the bank account because who knows what’s going to happen, it might never come through,” Broadhurst joked in an interview with RTÉ when the pair arrived home.
She said the win was still sinking in.
“It doesn’t feel real,” she added.
“When I say it, world champion… I’ve been waiting for it for so long, since I was five years old these are things I’ve dreamed of and for it to finally come through, you can’t describe it. It’s an incredible feeling.”
O’Rourke said she was delighted.
“It has been a long five weeks but a very good and enjoyable five weeks – lots of memories mad and, yeah, just over the moon,” she told RTÉ.
“I am just delighted to be home.”
Amy Broadhurst of Ireland with her grandad Paddy Sands and nephew Zac Broadhurst at Dublin Airport on their return from the IBA Women's World Boxing Championships 2022 in Turkey. Photo by Oliver McVeigh/Sportsfile
With their wins, the pair join Katie Taylor and Kellie Harrington as Irish world champions. O’Rourke and Broadhurst said they were thrilled to be in such esteemed company.
“Katie and Kelly, they’re just people to look up to. Every girl in boxing look up to them,” O’Rourke said.
Broadhurst agreed.
“I’ve worked with both of the girls over the last four months and if you asked me to describe the last four months - I’d say surreal, going working with two Olympic champions, working with Katie Taylor who is the best female boxer who ever lived,” she said.
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