O’Kane sets sights on 2012
Thursday, 20 November 2008
Dungiven Boxer Eamon O’kane has hinted at setting his sights on the 2012 Olympics after his fantastic run at the European Championships in Liverpool last week.
EAMONN O'Kane's fantastic run at the European senior championships in Liverpool eventually came to an end last week when he lost to Maxim Koptyakou at the semi final stage.
But the South Derry boxer will be delighted with his bronze medal when the dust has settled but was nevertheless "very disappointed" that he went down 10-2 Russian boxer.
O'Kane, who has been struggling throughout with a sore left elbow, said:
"I felt I was a little bit sluggish coming back with punches and I'm just very disappointed I couldn't get through to the final.
"But, you know, he caught me with six or seven really tough body shots and my conditioning got me through it.
"I gave it everything but the performance wasn't quite what I wanted but if someone had offered me a bronze medal at the start of the championships I would have broken their arm for it."
The local man has said that he may well now set his sights on the 2012 Olympics in London after victories over a number of top class competitors in Liverpool. "Now that I know that I can mix it with these boys the Olympics would be very much on my mind.
“It's not that long since I was watching these fighters on the television and now I'm competing and winning against them.
“The Turk I beat won a bronze at the worlds last year and the Armenian won two fights at the Olympics and only withdrew with a broken nose in the third.
“The guy who beat me in the semi finals was the Russian number one so there is no shame in that.
“The Commonwealth Games and the 2012 Olympics would be a big ambition for me.
“The Europeans are behind only the worlds and Olympics, so to have got a bronze medal shows that I can compete at that level."
The Immaculata ABC middleweight has stepped up his training in recent months and the hard work has obviously paid off. O'Kane continued: "I watched the Olympics and I saw how guys were managing to score well and win contests. They were blocking well and immediately countering and straight after the Games I went to the gym and worked on that.
“Me and my coach Nugget (Nugent) worked very hard over the past few months on making more precise with my punching, settling me down and helping to throw more quality shots and it has paid off."
The Dungiven fighter has also been awarded world class status by the Irish Sports Council, following his fantastic run in Liverpool.
“The way things have went in the last week has given me plenty of food for thought", said O'Kane.
“To be given world class status is a huge boost. It should mean an increase in funding and free physio and the like. It was left me with a lot of things to consider."
