Paris 2024 Boxing World Qualification Tournament: Returning Aidan Walsh ‘grateful’ after easing to opening win
The Olympic bronze medallist from Ireland, who was retired from the sport until five months ago with mental health issues, told Olympics.com why he got back in the ring after his opening 71kg victory in Busto Arsizio, Italy.
Boxing
Irish boxing star Aidan Walsh returned to the ring with an emotional victory over UAE’s Husain Alkandari in his Road to Paris 1st World Qualification Tournament opening bout on Tuesday (5 March) in Busto Arsizio, Italy.
Just five months ago, the Belfast light middleweight was in retirement, having suffered mental health issues and other injuries since winning bronze at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020.
But he returned to the ring in a bid to make Paris 2024, and looked to have rediscovered his best form in an impressive first round stoppage of his Emirati opponent.
“I’m just happy to be here and back in boxing. To be honest even before going in the ring today I was wondering, ‘What am I doing here? How did it come to this?’ Walsh told Olympics.com after his victory.
“It took a lot of work to get back to boxing and it was a real mental struggle, so to be back here is just an absolute privilege.
“Five months ago I was sitting on the chair at home, drinking a can of Coke and watching TV, and now I’m here trying to qualify for the Olympic Games. It’s amazing. I’m just looking forward to going back now and having a nice cup of tea, chilling out in my room, and seeing my family.”
Aidan and his sister, Michaela Walsh, became the first siblings to box at the same Olympic Games, at Tokyo 2020.
Fighting in Northern Ireland colours, the duo both won gold medals at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games and were expected to box together again at Paris 2024.
Michaela’s career has continued to shine since then, and she secured another Olympic quota for Ireland at the 2023 European Games.
However, Aidan’s mental and physical health issues meant that he took a break from the sport before retiring, and it looked like his Paris 2024 dream was over.
But with the help of his family and sports psychologists, he got back into training and convinced the national team coaches to select him for this Paris 2024 World Qualification Tournament.
“My sister’s my role model. I’ll never reach the heights she’s reached. She was unfortunate in Tokyo, but she’s doing absolutely amazing,” Aidan Walsh continued.
“I’m looking forward to seeing her this week and for me, I don’t really care if I qualify for not as long as she’s qualified and I hope that she gets her medal.
“Obviously I would love to join her, but at the same time I would love to see her win an Olympic medal, and that’s partly why I’m back to get a free ticket to Tokyo!”
“The Olympics changed my life, and I will be forever grateful to the Olympic Games because it’s something that I will remember for the rest of my life.
“The help and support that I got after that was absolutely amazing, and I was surrounded by good people. I’m just happy to be back in boxing and just loving sport again.
“My main motivation now is just to be here and enjoy sport. Whether I win, lose or draw, I just want to compete to my best.”
Elsewhere in Busto Arsizio, two-time world bronze medallist Oh Yeonji of the Republic of Korea beat Venezuelan Krisandy Rios in the women’s 60kg category, while two-time South American Games champion Wanderson de Oliveira of Brazil secured a unanimous decision win over Wendell Stanley of New Zealand in the men’s 71kg.
In the women’s 60kg, Great Britain’s Shona Whitwell went down by unanimous decision to Kosovo’s 2022 world bronze medallist Donjeta Sadiku.