Broadhurst selected by GB Boxing for Olympic qualifier

Amy Broadhurst has been selected by GB Boxing for an Olympic qualifying event in Thailand next month.

Broadhurst has switched allegiance from Ireland to Great Britain in an attempt to qualify for the Games in Paris later this year.

The World, European and Commonwealth Games champion has said that the Irish Athletic Boxing Association [IABA] informed her that she would not be assessed for the event in Bangkok.

Born in the Republic of Ireland, Broadhurst has an English father and holds a British passport.

“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," she said.

'Made to feel incredibly welcome'

Broadhurst has been selected at 60kgs, the same weight category as Irish Olympic gold medallist Kellie Harrington, and said she "owed it" to herself to pursue every avenue available to make it to Paris.

“The decision to pursue an alternative route to the Olympic Games - after I was informed by the Irish Athletic Boxing Association (IABA) in March 2024 that I would not be assessed for selection for the final qualifier - was not taken lightly and, as the holder of a British passport, I felt I owed it to myself and all the people that have supported me throughout my career to do everything possible to continue to pursue my dream of competing on the biggest stage in sport," she said.

“Since I first walked into the GB Boxing gym, I have been made to feel incredibly welcome by my new teammates and all of the coaches and support staff and I would like to thank everyone at GB Boxing for their support and hard work over recent weeks in helping to keep my Olympic dream alive and enabling me to have this opportunity.

“My priority now is to continue to train hard, listen to the coaches and give myself the best possible chance of succeeding at the qualifier and achieving my dream of securing a place at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris."

GB Boxing's Performance Director Rob McCracken added: “GB Boxing’s selection criteria dictates that we choose people that demonstrate the potential to qualify for and to win a medal at the Olympic Games and, having closely assessed all of the boxers at recent training camps and examined their past performances at elite international tournaments, the coaches were unanimous in their view of which boxer fulfilled the criteria most in the women’s lightweight division.”