Inevitable. Lisa O’Rourke had her sights only on gold and there was nothing going to stop her adding the European crown to her 2022 World title in the Asics Arena in Sofia, Bulgaria on Thursday evening.
The 24-year-old dominated her 80kg contests in the European Elite Boxing Championships this week and continued in that vein in the final, comfortably taking care of business against Anastasia Demurchian of Russia.
It wasn’t perfect. The Roscommon light-heavyweight was ungainly at times as she led with her left jab. But she also scored with a lot of powerful shots and combinations, and never stopped coming forward.
Impressing with her all-action style, O’Rourke took the first round 4-1 and the second 3-2, which meant her 22-year-old opponent needed to produce something special to deny the Irish woman, who was competing in her first tournament in a year after twice breaking a bone in her hand.
Instead, O’Rourke turned up the volume further in the third round to win it unanimously for a 4-1 triumph overall against the 2023 World light-middleweight champ.
“I’m delighted,” she said. “I didn’t know what way it was going to go when it’s your first tournament back. To get four wins from four, boxing three back-to-back days, it was tough and it was on you, like, I’ve never done that before, and at a new weight class. So I’m just delighted to be standing at the top of the podium at the end of it all.”
Ireland’s Lisa O’Rourke lands a right to the face of Russia’s Anastasiia Demurchian. Photograph: Vassil Donev/Inpho
She was looking forward to celebrating her victory as she waited for her sister Aoife’s own 75kg final on Friday evening. “I will probably be more nervous than I was, getting in,” she admitted. “I think that’s always the way for us.
“But look it, hopefully we’ll be celebrating twice as hard tomorrow, I’ll get back to the room and keep her company and get her settled, and I’m sure she’ll do the business tomorrow, please God. No better woman for the job, so come on Aoife!”
Earlier, Michaela Walsh had to settle for the bronze medal in the 57kg weight division after she suffered a split decision defeat in her semi-final against Hungary’s Kukhta Vladislav.
Like Walsh, the Kazakh-born 27-year-old is a counterpunch specialist but she impressed the judges by coming forward more. After coming from behind in her quarter-final victory, Walsh wasn’t fazed to lose the opening round 3-2, but she failed to turn it around in the second against her composed opponent.
The Irish boxer impressed over the final three minutes but while she won the round on all five cards, she had left it too late and went down 4-1 overall.
“I’m obviously very disappointed,” she said. “The first round was going to dictate the fight, there was nothing in it, I lost it 3-2 and didn’t panic.
Ireland’s Michaela Walsh in action in her semi-final against Kukhta Vlagyszlava of Hungary. Photograph: Ryan Byrne/Inpho
“I was having a good second round and then I think I got caught a bit at the end of the round, that swayed the judges, and I had a brilliant last round. I wasn’t going down without a fight but when you’re two rounds down, you’re going for broke and going for a stoppage. There was nothing more I could have done.
“We were just trying to get the tactics to try to lead her on, but she’s obviously a great operator. But I’m proud of my performance and I fought until the very end.”
This was the third podium that Walsh has made in 2026, a performance in sharp contrast to her fortunes in recent years. The last time the Belfast fighter had won a medal at international level was in 2023, but she has flourished since winning bronze in Strandja in February. Walsh also took silver at the Commonwealth Games in July.
“Obviously I went through a stale period but I never gave up, I stuck at it and always believed in myself, and knew I could produce big performances,” she reflected.
“Listen, this isn’t over, this is just a stepping stone and on to the next one near year and the Olympic qualifiers. I’ve gained a lot of confidence and I know what I can achieve when I put my mind to it. I don’t want to be just a three-time Olympian, but an Olympian medallist.”