Winning medals at major championships has become commonplace for Paddy Barnes although he has a bit of unfinished business left with the Commonwealth Games.
Four years ago in Melbourne he narrowly missed out on a medal, beaten in the quarter-finals but since then of course there’s been bronze at the Beijing Olympics and gold at the European Championships this year, among many other accolades.
“I’ve trained really hard for the Commonwealth Games, like I’ve four years more experience from Melbourne and this time, I’ve trained really hard for it and I’m going to use all my experience to try and get the gold medal in India and I think I will get the gold,” he said.
“I got gold at the European Championships in Moscow. That boosted my confidence right up especially coming towards the Commonwealth Games.”
Barnes is part of a young boxing team but one that is full of confidence and hoping to bring home medals from Delhi.
“Don’t forget, Paddy is an Olympic Bronze medalist but also in this team we have another bronze medalist from the Europeans in Tyrone McCullough and a former medalist in Eamonn O’Kane who is our team captain so we’ve a lot of youth and experience on the team. We’ve a good team here and on the training camp everyone’s going well and we’re very, very happy with the progress,” explains coach Stephen Friel.
Barnes took a couple of weeks off after winning the European title but has been back training hard and thinks he’ll be peaking at just the right time in Delhi.
“Intensity at the moment in training is really, really high. Boys at the gym are really hard at it. I’ve really started my sparring about three weeks ago after a short holiday but I’m feeling fit which is a good sign.”
The key in a big tournament as always will be the draw that is due to take place on Monday. The African nations will be tough as will the hosts India who are hoping for a big Games and the home nations will be after medals but such is the success in Irish amateur boxing recently Barnes believes there is no one to fear.
“Yeah, going in as European Champion people might try to avoid me in the draw but, it used to be years ago a lot of countries were hoping for Northern Ireland or Ireland as the easy draw but now we’re far better as a country and I think other nations are going to be looking to avoid us.”
It’s a confident approach from Barnes although Friel will have his fingers crossed as the draw takes place.
“These guys are looking ahead and they’re hoping to do well, as I say, it has a lot to do with the draw. I know you can say you’re going to meet these guys anyway but you like to meet them in the later stages in the game, once you get one or two fights over us. It’s very, very important for this team, that we get a good draw and if you get a win over you, you’re bouncing, you’re raring to go. It’s very important, the first fight’s very important. You get that over and get a win you know, that’s the key factor.”
Barnes isn’t the only member of the team who has something to prove at the Commonwealth Games. Middleweight Eamonn O’Kane also narrowly missed out on a medal in Melbourne and he admires what Barnes has gone on to achieve.
“Paddy’s one of my best friends, has been for a number of years now. What he’s done for boxing and for us, being a friend of his is, is an honour to say he’s a friend. He’s an absolute inspiration to us all and there’s no reason why the rest of the team can’t you know, produce the goods, as Paddy’s done. Paddy was once one of the underdogs in the team. Now we’ve a lot of underdogs on the team but I’ve seen them mix it these last eleven weeks. They’ve trained really, really well, pulled out all the stops and I honestly believe that you’re going to see great things in India,” says O’Kane.
Northern Ireland have missed out on boxing medals at the last two Commonwealth Games and there will be huge disappointment if that happens again.
Led by Barnes however, there’s a team determined to end that run. He says, “I don’t really find much pressure on myself because at every tournament I’m going for gold anyway so this tournament is no different. I’m going for gold no matter what.”
By Nigel Ringland
