Amy Broadhurst, a native of Dundalk, recently made headlines for switching her international allegiance to Great Britain after not being selected for the Ireland team in the final Olympic qualifier in Thailand. Despite her successful career in boxing, which includes winning World, European, and Commonwealth Games titles in 2022, Broadhurst decided to represent Great Britain due to not being chosen to compete for Ireland in Bangkok. She holds a British passport through her English-born father.
In her debut for Great Britain, Broadhurst secured a decisive victory over Spain’s Sheila Martinez in the 60kg division at the Olympic qualifier in Thailand. With three spots for the Paris Games up for grabs in her weight class, Broadhurst will need to either advance to the final or win a box-off for third place to qualify for her first Olympics. Previously, she had to change weight divisions to accommodate Ireland’s Olympic champion Kellie Harrington, who competes at 60kg.
After a period of injury lay-off, Broadhurst expressed her satisfaction with her performance in her first bout with Great Britain, stating that she aims to improve as the competition progresses. She highlighted the difference between sparring and the nerves before an actual fight, emphasizing that she is excited to be competing at her natural weight once again. The boxing community eagerly anticipates Broadhurst’s future matches as she pursues her Olympic dreams.
Broadhurst’s decision to switch allegiances has sparked controversy within the Irish boxing community. Some have accused Broadhurst of betraying Ireland by representing Great Britain instead of continuing to fight for their national team.
Despite this criticism, Broadhurst remains committed to pursuing her dream of competing in the Olympics with Great Britain. “I gave it my all,” she said after winning against Spain’s Martinez. “I’m proud of what I achieved and I look forward to continuing this journey with Team GB.”
