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Belfast boxer Paddy Barnes has the bronze but is going for gold

Wednesday, 20 August 2008

Getty

Paddy Barnes of Ireland (red) competes against Lukasz Maszczyk of Poland during the 48kg quarterfinal boxing event at the Workers' Indoor Arena on Day 11 of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games on August 19, 2008 in Beijing, China

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He may have been on the other side of the world, but the cheers emanating from north Belfast yesterday would have been heard all the way in China after local boy Paddy Barnes secured Ireland's first medal of the Beijing Olympics.

The 21-year-old boxer from the Ardoyne beat Poland's Lukasz Maszcyk yesterday in a stunning bout to reach the semi-final of the light flyweight division which will guarantee him at least a bronze medal.

But the boxer from the renowned Holy Family Club in Belfast, who will take on Chinese world champion Zou Shiming in the semi-final this Friday, is aiming for gold.

Speaking from Beijing, Paddy's proud father Paddy Senior said last night that not even the intimidating roar of a stadium full of loyal Chinese supporters will be able to contain their excitement come Friday when the 21-year-old lives out his dream.

"This is what he wanted," Paddy senior explained, "The world champion on his home turf.

"When he qualified he said to me that the one fight he wanted was Shiming in front of his home crowd, and now it's going to happen. I am just so proud. How could I not be?

"I am sure everybody back home is very happy. It's the first medal that Ireland has won, the first Irish boxing medal in 16 years, and the first medal a Northern Irish person has won in 16 years.

"I always knew he would make it to the Olympics and I always knew he was something special.

"I think he has a great chance. It is going to be hard fighting the world champion in his own backyard, but it's what Paddy wanted. I know that if Shiming did beat him, he would have to earn it."

His win yesterday has come as no surprise to his coach and mentor Gerry Storey.

The legendary Irish boxing coach, who has produced four other Olympic medallists, says he always knew the north Belfast lad would get this far and believes he will go further.

"I was very confident when he went out that he would do well," Gerry said last night.

"Even though the Polish guy had beaten him before, it did not surprise me when he won. Paddy has been working on his tactics so when he won 11-5, it shows you that he has been going OK. But Paddy is out there for the gold, and I am confident he can do it.

"I am absolutely proud of him. He's the fifth individual kid from the Holy Family Club to win an Olympic medal -- it's the icing on the cake."

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23 Comments

Go Paddy go ,we are all behind you And the other Irish boxers who are in the semi-finals, what an accomplishment, here in the USA we have only 1 boxer left in this group.

In case you don't know N.Ireland was always included in the overall Irish boxing squad just like the rugby and swimming teams and the Ulster boxing champions are automatically included in the yearly Irish boxing championships and are selected for international representation from both North and South based on ability. I am happy and proud to say that from my experience in the N. Ireland boxing community there was never any bias among the boxers only respect for each other.

Posted by gus | 22.08.08, 01:55 GMT

so pleased to here some one from belfast is going for gold!, hope his career lasts and is very eventful

Posted by Brendan | 21.08.08, 16:51 GMT

Good luck Paddy from all of Belfast - great to see another good boxer coming through the ranks!

Posted by Cuhullain | 21.08.08, 14:22 GMT

We here in Allentown Pennsylvania, USA are cheering for Paddy Barnes. He is the best mate of my cousin Gary, and of course we are from Belfast originally. I have been spreading the word about him at work, so everyone here is cheering him on!! Good Job Paddy!!

Posted by Jackie Blair | 21.08.08, 02:48 GMT

Dear Sirs and Ladies, I think if Paddy Barnes had had opportunity to fight for the UK at the Olympics he would have taken it. Since that spot was already taken, it wouldn't have made sense to turn down the opportunity to participate in the Olympics with the southern Irish squad. Northern Ireland is in a rather unique situation in this respect. I notice that some of the rowers and/or scullers compete on the UK team & the ones who are competing for the Irish squad probably didn't have the option. Mind you I think most of the amateur boxers in Northern Ireland do fight in international competitions under the Ireland banner (in a similar manner as our Rugby players do) so perhaps Paddy would still have fought under the southern Irish banner (as I think there wasn't a UK light flyweight picked for the Olympics so P. Barnes could probably have gone on the UK squad). Personally, I would think most of our athletes would want to compete for the UK, team GB or otherwise, politics aside.

Posted by Michael | 21.08.08, 02:12 GMT

Here we go again a horse fron the six counties is considered Irish yet it would seem a winning boxer is being is punished for claim the same.lol.. Perhaps the outstanding Irish-born personality of the early years of the Olympic Games was Tom Kiely, who won the all-round Championship, the forerunner of the Modern Decathlon, at the Games in St. Louis in 1904. As with John Pius Boland, his victory was claimed by the United Kingdom or Great Britain but the Olympic historians Dr. Ferenc Meszo and David Guiney have now established beyond argument that Kiely was, in fact, representing Ireland and indeed paid his own expenses in travelling from Ireland to St. Louis. Peter O'Connor and Con Leahy who won gold medals at the Intercalated Olympic Games at Athens in 1906 made their own spirited protest on the claims that they were part of the United Kingdom or Great Britain. They did this by raising an Irish flag to the top of the 200 foot mast which dominated the stadium in Athens.

Posted by eamon | 20.08.08, 23:16 GMT

well done Wendy from all in Maghera,her mum was our midwife for all my children.Just brilliant we are all so proud of her achievement.
Good luck Paddy.

Posted by r | 20.08.08, 21:36 GMT

Mr McCann I cannot believe the logic of your argument just build a bridge & get over it share the dream of this young man, the train is leaving the station & THANK GOD few with your views are left behind

Posted by Uinseann Mac Siacais | 20.08.08, 17:23 GMT

I am a HK chinese , I wish our champion Zhou Shiming to beat Paddy Barnes, but I would assume this will be a good fight, Paddy got nothing to lose. Good luck to both of them.

Posted by Damian | 20.08.08, 16:39 GMT

Well done Paddy and all of the other athletes from Team GB and Ireland. Andrew, you have your opinion as do I, but it's up to the individual to decide who they represent, let’s just be happy for him and Wendy who have done Northern Ireland proud.

Posted by Robert Scott | 20.08.08, 14:44 GMT

well andrew, to your comment of people professing fealty to the republic, if u wanna follow the rules of the queen of ENGLANd u shud go and live there!! he was born on the island of ireland! he has the freedom to choose to fight for the north or south! jus b proud he has thye chance to win a gold!

Posted by jimmy | 20.08.08, 14:18 GMT

Mr McCann.
You say not to quote the (Belfast Agreement) The Good Friday Agreement. I say to you sir. It is an enacted reality. Accept it, as it was signed by the Irish and British governments and agreed upon by the voters of N.I..

It is Paddy Barnes democratic right and entirely up to him who he represents.

And yes, Mr McCann. You are correct. You have the democratic right to your opinion. Doesn't Mr Barnes have the same right? Evidently, the referendum puts your outdated views in the minortity. Thank God.

Please accept the changes for the best of all citizens. If you don't like it, perhaps , you should move.

Get out off your dogmatic quagmire and move forward.

Earl. Canada.

Posted by Earl | 20.08.08, 14:12 GMT

I have been following all the boxers from Ireland and GB in these Olympics and every other boxing tournament for many years. I really cannot believe there are DINOSAURS like Andrew McCann still left in society.
No matter what your personal opinion is regarding who Paddy Barnes boxes for, its his choice. Leave the young lad alone and let him follow his dream. Irish or British he's from Belfast. And boy is he making me proud.
Just like Wayne McCullough did when he carried the national flag and brought home a silver medal for Ireland from the Barcelona Olympics in 1992. By the way Wayne was given a fantasic reception in the Northern Ireland supports club. Even though he boxed for Ireland!!

Posted by Mai | 20.08.08, 13:49 GMT

wel done paddy! makes you proud to be irish,and from the north!

Posted by stevie at hcl | 20.08.08, 13:13 GMT

Andrew McCann, go and catch a grip of your life you sad, sad man!! Hes Irish!!

Posted by chris mccann | 20.08.08, 13:11 GMT

Mr McCann, yur 1 of da reasons N.I cant move on from its past! Paddy is a great boxer and regardless of who he fights for. We should all support for being from the island of Ireland! Also well done to Team GB.

Posted by Anon | 20.08.08, 13:06 GMT

The website of Team GB makes explicit that the territory covered by them includes Northern Ireland.

It's no use quoting to me tenets from the Belfast Agreement. I was against it in 1998 and I'm against it today. As far as I'm concerned, Barnes should compete for the United Kingdom or not at all. This thread isn't about the legalities of a ten-year old treaty, it's about personal opinion.

My opinion will always be that anyone living in Northern Ireland that professes fealty to the Republic (in whatever guise) should go and live there. Period!

Don't waste your time, Mr Jones, on the lectures.

Posted by Andrew McCann, Halifax | 20.08.08, 12:20 GMT

I think it's very sad that the success of this young man has been used as the basis for yet another political argument and frankly I find it extremely tiresome.

He's from Belfast, he's won an Olympic medal and he's only 21 years old. Can we just get behind him and celebrate his achievement?

Well done Paddy, you have made us all extremely proud.

Posted by Jennifer | 20.08.08, 12:18 GMT