EUROPEAN Senior Boxing Champion Jason Quigley is back on Irish soil after arriving home at Dublin airport last night – to a sizeable crowd of family and friends who were there to greet him.
There were incredible scenes at the arrivals halls as the ten-member Irish team returned home with two golds and two silvers – and one gold belonged to Donegal middleweight Jason.
A Donegal homecoming party will be at 7pm at the Finn Valley Centre on Monday.
Jason’s proud dad and coach Conor Quigley watched all his sons bouts on TV as he couldn’t get a visa in time to travel to Belarus.
Jason has already won two golds at juniors and U-23 level – his win on Saturday completed a unique treble…the first by an Irish boxer.
“He has become a triple European champion,” said dad Conor.
Said Jason: “When the tricolour went up at the medal ceremony it was a very proud moment for me.
“That was years of hard work; that started when I was a seven year old. It’s been a lot of hard work but it has really paid off.”
Tommy Murphy, President of the IABA, hailed the performances of Team Ireland in Minsk.
He said: “The Irish team have once again done Ireland proud against the very best. It isn’t even a year since we were welcoming home our team from the London Olympics.
“This time we’ve taken home another four medals from another top tournament and tremendous credit must go to our boxers, coaching staff and everyone involved with the squad and the clubs and coaches up and down the country that put so much time and effort into our sport.
“The Irish Amateur Boxing Association have put the structures in place that yielded the success we’ve seen in Belarus this week. Our teams are now the best prepared in the World when they go into competition.
“We will be sending our women’s team to the European Union Championships in Hungary later this month and I would be confident that they will do well at that tournament.
“Once again, congratulations to everyone involved for another fantastic tournament for our sport.”
John Joe Nevin at Dublin Airport said: “All of the team gave it their all right through and that’s all you can ask for. I’m delighted to have won gold and the Best Boxer award.”
Joe Hennigan, Irish Team Manager in Belarus, added: “The Irish team performed magnificently in Minsk. The European Championships is always and very competitive tournament and to take home four medals is a tremendous achievement by any standard.”
Ireland finished in second spot in the rankings tables behind Russia at the tournament.
Irish boxing has now claimed 52 medals, 15 of which were gold, from the men’s and women’s European Championships since 1939.
The Donegal homecoming for Jason will be at the Finn Valley Centre at 7pm on Monday.
Said Patsy McGonagle: “This is one of the greatest ever achievements by an Irish boxer and by a Donegal boxer and we’re all looking forward to welcoming Jason home.”
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