Sharkey hopeful that Aoife can win gold for Roscommon and Ireland
Aoife and Lisa O'Rourke pictured with Paddy Sharkey at a homecoming held for the boxers following the IBA Women's World Boxing Championships earlier this year.
These are magnificent times for Castlerea Boxing Club, and the town as a whole.
With Aoife and Lisa O’Rourke proudly representing their country against the world’s best on a regular basis, it can be easy to take what they are accomplishing for granted.
For older sister Aoife, after securing silver at the IBA Women’s World Boxing Championships in March, she will compete in her second World Championship final in seven months, when she steps foot into the ring against Turkey’s Bursa Isildar in Liverpool on Sunday afternoon.
It is a tremendous accomplishment, and her coach in Castlerea Boxing Club, Paddy Sharkey, states that both sisters have enjoyed so much success as a result of devoting their lives to the sport.
“These medals don’t come easy. They are away in Dublin all week training, and then they are away at training camps. They give up a lot of their life for boxing. It is well deserved, so hopefully she (Aoife) will come back with the gold."
“It is unfortunate Lisa didn’t get the nod in her (last 16) bout, but that is the way it goes. The standard is high.”
Aoife was forced to come through a bruising semi-final against Lina Wang on Saturday afternoon.
Although Sharkey didn’t agree with three of the judges scoring the opening round to the Chinese fighter, he felt that Aoife showed her class by dominating the remainder of the bout, forcing her opponent to take a standing count in the third round.
“She didn’t leave any doubt in the last two rounds anyway. Anyone can see she won the first round hands down. She was pushing her opponent back. She won it out, and that is the main thing. Hopefully, she can build off that fight now.”
Sharkey is confident that the double Olympian, the only one from Team Ireland to make the final in her division, has what it takes to secure another momentous win.
“When Aoife and Lisa prepare, they prepare 100 per cent. Tiredness doesn’t come into it, and I don’t believe tiredness will come into it (in the final).”
“Aoife will stick to the plan, and they will have a plan in place for her. There is no doubt Aoife can do it if she sticks to the plan," concluded Sharkey.
