Northern Ireland's Aidan Walsh out of Olympics but 'incredibly grateful'

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Belfast boxer Aidan Walsh accepted his Paris Olympics exit by reflecting “I’m just incredibly grateful to be here”.

Four of the judges gave the verdict to French boxer Makan Traore on Sunday, with a fifth scoring the men’s 71kg bout as a draw at the North Paris Arena.

Team Ireland’s Walsh – winner of bronze at the Tokyo Games – said: “I’m just incredibly grateful to be here, my aim isn’t always to medal, it’s to enjoy the process and I’ve really enjoyed my time here in the village, much more than my last experience in Tokyo and it’s just a privilege to be here.”

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Walsh took the first round, with both fighters taking time to weigh each other up.

Team Ireland's Aidan Walsh (right) evades a punch from Makan Traore of Team France during at the North Paris Arena on day two of the Paris OlympicsTeam Ireland's Aidan Walsh (right) evades a punch from Makan Traore of Team France during at the North Paris Arena on day two of the Paris Olympics
Team Ireland's Aidan Walsh (right) evades a punch from Makan Traore of Team France during at the North Paris Arena on day two of the Paris Olympics

In the second round, Traore began to take the fight to 27-year-old Walsh, who was having some success with his counter punches. Traore won the second round, with only one judge preferring Walsh’s work.

In the final round, Traore caught Walsh early and the Northern Ireland fighter suffered a decisive setback when he was docked a point for holding.

Traore was unanimously declared the winner much to the delight of the vociferous crowd.

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“When you win the first round so clearly you just keep doing what you’re doing and it just usually goes for you,” said Walsh. “I know I got a warning in the third, I don’t really know why because I’ve been doing that all my career, hitting and holding.

"Usually you get a few cautions before you get a proper warning, but the referees seem to be clamping down on that in the last few months.”

Walsh claimed Northern Ireland’s only medal for Northern Ireland at the Tokyo Games three years ago, which were delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

He took 14 months away from the sport to concentrate on his mental health before returning to the ring for the Paris Olympics.

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