Labhaoise Clarke is ready to strike for a medal in Guwahati, India at the AIBA World Women’s Youth Championships.
The Carndonagh ABC featherweight, pictured above with her sister, Jessica, left Dublin today with the rest of the Irish squad and officials – including Illies Golden Gloves’ Sadie Duffy, who is referee/judge with the Ireland party – for the tournament which begins on Sunday.
Over 30 nations represented by almost 200 boxers are registered to compete in the fifth edition of the competition.
Clarke, winner of nine Irish titles, is in one of the weights that has a place at next year’s Youth Olympics in Buenos Aires, Argentina, up for grabs.
“I think now is my time with all the preparation I’ve been doing and the sparring I’ve been getting,” Clarke said.
“Since I was young, all I wanted to do was boxing. I’ve always wanted to get to Europeans and Worlds and Olympics.”
Clarke competed at the European Youth Championships in June, losing out to Belarus’ Ulyana Yesipena in the round of 16.
In the Youth Juniors in March, Clarke lost out to Clann Naofa’s Shauna O’Callaghan, but when O’Callaghan failed to make the weight, Clarke got the nod for the Europeans and has been retained since.
The draw for the 2017 World Youths will be made on Saturday.
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