Irish Boxer Amy Broadhurst Switches Allegiance to Britain for Paris Olympics
In a surprising turn of events, world champion boxer Amy Broadhurst has decided to represent Britain at the upcoming Paris Olympics after not being selected by Ireland for the final Olympic qualifier in Bangkok.
The 27-year-old athlete, who was born in Ireland but also holds a British passport, made the decision to switch allegiances in order to pursue her dream of competing at the Olympic Games.
“It has always been my dream to compete at the Olympic Games and I am very happy that I have been selected by GB Boxing to go to the final qualifying event in Thailand in May,” Broadhurst said in a statement.
Having been bypassed by Ireland as a welterweight, Broadhurst was selected as a lightweight for Britain, the same category as Ireland’s Kellie Harrington, who won gold at the Tokyo Olympics.
The decision to switch was not made lightly, as Broadhurst expressed her gratitude to all those who have supported her throughout her career. She has previously won the 2022 world and European championships for Ireland at light-welterweight, as well as gold at the Commonwealth Games for Northern Ireland as a lightweight.
British Boxing’s performance director, Rob McCracken, emphasized that the selection criteria is based on choosing athletes who demonstrate the potential to qualify for and win a medal at the Olympic Games.
With Broadhurst now set to represent Britain in Bangkok next month, all eyes will be on her as she aims to secure her spot at the Paris Olympics and make a mark on the world stage.