![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/John-Gold-833x1024.jpeg\")
<\/p>\nTeam Ireland\u2019s John Donoghue has won World U19 Championship gold in this afternoon\u2019s finals in Budva, Montenegro \u2013 and lightweight silver will be coming home to Wexford.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
In all, a record 474 boxers from 67 countries have contested this bi-annual World Boxing Championships.<\/p>\n
Team Ireland finished 5th in the overall team rankings<\/a> behind Russia, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and USA, and ahead of federations including India, China, England and Brazil. Ireland finished 6th in the medals standings<\/a>.<\/p>\n John was the 5-0 winner in a nail-biting 70kg final against Bibarys Ashirbay of Kazakhstan, which was level going in to the last. Judges scored the bout 28:29; 28:29; 28:29; 28:29.<\/p>\n John, of Olympic BC Mullingar, is a two-time World medalist having won World Junior gold in 2023, and the reigning European champion at the weight.<\/p>\n His path to the podium has included wins over Maksim Rybak of Belarus, Itzhak Avrutis of Israel and Armenia\u2019s Artyom Stepanyan.<\/p>\n Kalib Walshe returns from the Budva with silver, following a highly technical lightweight final against the Edgardo Nicolas Peralta of Argentina, the reigning Argentinian and South American champion. The 5-0 decision went to Peralta on a scoreline of 30:27; 30:27; 30:27; 30:27; 30:27. Kalib, of Wexford CBS, and the European silver medalist at the weight, has had an incredible tournament, with wins over Greece\u2019s Nearchos Petros Konstantinoudis, Artur Avetisyan of Armenia and Algeria\u2019s Smail Sahraoui.<\/p>\n In all, Ireland will return with 6 medals from these championships: Louise Joyce adds World bronze to her benchmark tally of three European medals. She boxed her 48kg semi-final against tall, rangy Brazilian, Elissandra Santos, and the unanimous decision went to Santos. Louise\u2019s path to the podium has included wins over Algeria\u2019s Bouthaina Bouslash and Ciana Nonhphala of USA. \u00a0John\u2019s brother, Jason Donoghue, is also a World bronze medalist \u2013 having contested a hair\u2019s breadth close semi-final against Spains\u2019 Pablo Souto Macias. Jason has had an excellent tournament, with wins over Rostyslav Horodynskyi of Ukraine, Moldova\u2019s Catalan Mustea and Akzhurek Kalabay of Kazakhstan. Louise, John and Jason are all of Olympic BC, Mullingar.<\/p>\n Team Co-Captains 75kg Jason Whelan of Dublin Docklands is now a World medalist. He comes home with bronze following wins over Turkmen boxer Toyly Bazarov, Italy\u2019s Alessandro Bramerini and Nikolay Sabev of Bulgaria. Clonmel BC\u2019s Kaysie Joyce is 70kg bronze medalist with keynote wins over Vladyslava Nalyvaiko of Ukraine and England\u2019s Shannon Warren.<\/p>\n Team Ireland\u2019s campaign was marked by mature performances from all members of the team, whether or not they achieved a podium finish. \u00a0Caoimhin Connolly, of Twin Towns ABC in Donegal, but in a strong, agile performance where he won both the second and third rounds on many scorecards in his 50kg Last 32 against USA\u2019s Refugio Medrano Veloz but was narrowly eliminated on an agonizing 3-2 split decision<\/p>\n Kayleigh Byrne left absolutely everything in the ring in her World U19 Championship quarter final, and bows-out on a dreaded 3-2 split. Kayleigh, of Gorey BC, boxed her 51kg QF against Nazokat Mardonova of Uzbekistan. Despite winning the second round 3-2, and the third 4-1, the decision went to Mardonova. Kayleigh\u2019s journey Worlds journey has included wins over Patrycja Petriman of Poland and Shi-Chun Chou of Chinese Taipei, and a 2026 European silver medal. Two-time European medalist, 54kg Carley O\u2019Herron of Rochfortbridge BC contested her Last 32 bout against two-time European silver medalist Zuzanna Golebiewska of Poland in a highly competitive bout, but it wasn\u2019t to be.<\/p>\n Lee Largey Snoddon didn\u2019t medal on the narrowest possible margin; \u00a0a 3-2 split. Lee boxed his 55kg quarter final against Azerbaijan\u2019s Nihat Gasimov, winning a tumultuous 1st round 4-1, but ultimately the judges awarded the decision to Gasimov. Lee, of Immaculata BC, has had an incredible tournament, winning against David Mlacic of Australia, Moldova\u2019s Damian Grisman and Riad Isufi of Kosovo. While Grace Bailey bowed out at quarter final stage following a tough, physical quarter final against Harsika Harsika of India. She\u2019d claimed wins over Timea F\u00e1bryov\u00e1 of Slovakia and Dunja Vuksic of Serbia. 75kg Cassie Henderson, a three time European medalist of Phoenix BC, Armagh, made her debut at World level at Last 16 stage against Daria Antipova of Russia. The decision went to Antipova in a tough, physical contest.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/1793146572_312_WhatsApp-Image-2026-10-14-at-9.48.48-AM-1-1024x510.jpeg\")
<\/p>\n