Michaela and Aidan Walsh: The champion Irish boxing siblings powered by fraternity
The 2022 Commonwealth Games champions, who were the first brother and sister to box at the same Olympic Games at Tokyo 2020 reveal how their bond has helped their individual careers, through good times and bad.
Boxing
Ireland boxing star Michaela Walsh couldn’t have wished for a better birthday celebration on 6 June 2021.
A day after turning 28, the Belfast native won her featherweight quarter-final at the European Olympic Boxing Qualification tournament in Paris by unanimous decision to secure an Olympic quota for Tokyo 2020.
It’s hard to believe how such a celebration could be surpassed, but it was just 30 minutes later.
After celebrating and fulfilling her media obligations, Walsh took her seat ringside and watched on as younger sibling Aidan Walsh won his welterweight quarter-final to ensure that they would become first brother and sister to box at the same Olympic Games.
“It was actually surreal. Honestly, I was more happy for Aidan qualifying than myself - I don’t think it would’ve been the same. This was something we’ve always dreamt of,” Michaela told Irish News.
“It was a big amount of pressure for Aidan because I had gone first. I don’t think I could’ve fought after him… I would’ve been in a heap, whereas he’s the cool and calm one. Thankfully the stars just aligned that day.”
Aidan went on to win welterweight Olympic bronze, while Michaela bowed out in the round of 16 in Japan.
Three years on, the siblings are now hoping to make the Irish team for Paris 2024 and continue their famous family legacy in the ring.
Boxing in the Walsh family’s blood
Michaela and Aidan’s father, Damien, was a boxer.
It therefore comes as no surprise that the Walsh siblings were training at Belfast's Monkstown Amateur Boxing Club from before they hit their teenage years.
Progress was quick under his tutelage, and older sibling Michaela was selected to represent Team Ireland internationally for the first time when she was 15, winning silver at the first European Women’s Junior Boxing Championships in Yambol, Bulgaria.
After getting a taste of life as an elite boxer, she became obsessed.
In 2011, aged 18, the prodigy pugilist took bronze at the first AIBA Women’s Youth World Boxing Championships in Antalya, Türkiye, before taking gold at the Irish Elite National Championships and competing at the EUBC European Women’s Elite Boxing Championships.
Three years later at the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games, the then 21-year-old crushed three opponents in devastating fashion before losing the gold medal match against English Olympic champion Nicola Adams.
Nicola Adams (R) of England competes with Michaela Walsh of Northern Ireland in the Women's Fly (48 - 51kg) Final at SSE Hydro during day ten of the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games on August 2, 2014 in Glasgow, Scotland.
With such an impressive role model to look up to, it wasn’t long before Aidan announced his arrival on the national stage in similarly impressive fashion - a light welterweight gold medal at the Apia 2015 Commonwealth Youth Games.
Four years later, the siblings would compete together for Northern Ireland at the Commonwealth Games for the first time at Gold Coast 2018.
Feeding off that energy and excitement, they put on a show to remember.
Michaela sealed a second-consecutive second-place finish after going down to local fighter Skye Nicolson in the final, before Aidan secured a second silver medal for the Walsh family, going down to English World No. 1 Pat McCormack in the welterweight final.
Aidan Walsh of Northern Ireland (Red) and Pat McCormack of England compete in the Men's 69kg Final Boxing on day 10 of the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games at Oxenford Studios on April 14, 2018 on the Gold Coast, Australia.
Michaela continued her rise up the senior ranks and, having stepped up seamlessly to the featherweight category, landed European Games silver in 2019.
This was followed by that famous day in 2021 at the European Olympic Boxing Qualification tournament in Paris, when the siblings secured their quotas to the postponed Tokyo 2020 Games.
Despite going on to win bronze, the truth is that Aidan’s achievement was somewhat bittersweet.
While celebrating his victory over Merven Clair of Mauritius in the quarter-finals, the Irishman fell awkwardly on his right ankle.
The resulting fracture meant that he had to withdraw from his semi-final and re-match against Great Britain’s McCormack, and had to settle for the bronze.
Men's Welter (63-69kg) medalists (L-R) Pat McCormack of Team Great Britain (silver medal), Roniel Iglesias of Team Cuba (gold medal) and Aidan Walsh of Team Ireland pose for photographs during the Victory Ceremony on day eleven of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Kokugikan Arena on August 03, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan.
Michaela and Aidan Walsh: Brotherly love
Typically, Michaela was brimming with pride for her younger brother, but could not help but be disappointed with her round of 16 elimination in Tokyo.
Using it as motivation, she returned to training more motivated than ever, which showed at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.
Harnessing the power of their family unity and support, the Walsh siblings produced another extraordinarily special day. Aidan defeated Tiago Muxanga from Mozambique in the gold medal fight, before Michaela finally won her gold medal with victory over Nigeria’s Elizabeth Oshoba later that day.
After climbing out of the ring, Aidan was of course the first to greet her with a warm embrace. An emotional Michaela then revealed that family was the main reason she returned after the disappointment of Tokyo.
“In 2014 I promised my grandad (Niall) I would win gold before he died, unfortunately I wasn’t able to do that but I felt that he was there with me today – I finally got it. I finally got it,” she told the Belfast Telegraph.
“It’s unbelievable. Seeing Aidan win earlier on, I was trying not to get emotional, that was something I dreamed of for him, but to do it together, there’s no words to describe the feeling.”
“Going into this tournament we really enjoyed the journey, we weren’t putting too much pressure on ourselves. Obviously we wanted the gold medal, but regardless of what side of the podium we were on, we were going to enjoy it. We did, and I think that’s why we came away with the gold medals.”
“I live the right life along with Aidan – you can ask anyone on the team how professional we are. We do everything right, and it paid off.”
(L-R) Gold medallist for the Men's Boxing Over 67kg-71kg Aidan Walsh of Team Northern Ireland kisses the Gold medal of sister Michaela Walsh of Team Northern Ireland after the Women's Boxing Over 54kg-57kg (Featherweight) medal ceremony on day ten of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games at NEC Arena on August 07, 2022 on the Birmingham, England.
After the Tokyo 2020 Games, both Walsh siblings committed to the goal of competing at the Olympic Paris 2024.
Continuing her great form, Michaela landed her 10th Irish title in January 2023, and everything seemed to be going to plan.
But Aidan suffered a shock loss in the semi-finals to eventual champion Dean Walsh, which suddenly jeopardised his place in the Irish team.
But Michaela’s reaction showed that these siblings experience all emotions together, win or lose.
“Of course, it’s very hard - it’s nearly like a loss for myself,” Michaela told Irish News after Aidan’s defeat.
“He was up first thing this morning at the weigh in with me - he’s always there for me, we’re always there for each other.
“My title is for me and him. He’s been with me every step of the way and he always will be.” - Michaela Walsh after her Irish elite title win in 2023.
“Anybody can win fights but not everybody can be a good person"
In June 2023, Michaela secured her eighth major international medal and an Olympic quota for Paris 2024 after beating Denmark’s Melissa Juvonen Mortensen, in the European Games quarter finals.
A year later, she claimed a record-breaking eleventh Irish title, surpassing the legendary Kenneth Egan and Jim O’Sullivan.
Unfortunately, this success was in stark contrast to Aidan’s fortunes, who spent the previous 12 months out of the ring.
Despite this, the 26-year-old Olympic medallist received a boost in January 2024 when he was named on the Irish team for the Olympic World qualifier in Busto Arsizio Italy, from 29 February-12 March, after successfully convincing coaches of his form in several behind-closed-doors assessments.
Whether the duo box again at another Olympic Games is almost irrelevant.
The key message behind their careers to date is that family and the ambition to be good humans outweighs their desire for medals and adulation.
They are a testament of the power of community, and a beacon of hope for aspiring athletes to push through the hard times, and remain balanced in the good, in pursuit of their own Olympic dreams.
“I want to be a good person, and if I’ve inspired young people coming through, anything I can do to help people… it’s your values as a person,” Aidan continued.
“Anybody can win fights but not everybody can be a good person, and that’s what means the most to us.”