DONNA BARR HAS been forced to withdraw from next week’s European Women’s Championships in Bulgaria.
The Twin Towns ABC flyweight suffered a hand injury at a recent training camp and will be out of action for 12 weeks.
Barr had been in training with the Irish Senior Women’s team in Sheffield at the Institute of Sport when she sustained the injury while sparring.
The three-time Irish champion fractured a bone in her hand and dislocated a thumb.
“I just threw a punch wrong when I was sparring with the World number 2,” a disappointed Barr said.
Barr recently moved up from light-flyweight to flyweight ahead of the European Championships having competed at flyweight at this year’s World Championships in Kazakhstan.
Barr and the Irish Team, without the recently turned-pro Katie Taylor for the first time, completed a training camp at the Irish Institute of Sport in Abbotstown before they went to Sheffield.
The injury means Barr also seems likely to miss out on the Irish Elite Championships in early February, but the Strabane native will aim to make the Commonwealth Games next year.
She said: “I have more time now to build myself into a 51kgs boxer. Everything happens for a reason. I’m still young and have plenty to work towards.”
