BRETT MCGINTY and the Irish boxing team leave Moscow this morning to travel to St Petersburg ahead of the start of the AIBA World Youth Championships on Thursday.
The St Johnston man has been named as the captain of the nine-man Irish team, under the direction of coaches John Conlan and Billy McClean.
McGinty is an experienced puncher having won a silver medal at last year’s Commonwealth Youth Games and been at European Championships three times – including in 2012 when he won a European Schoolboys bronze medal.
The Oakleaf ABC welterweight is gunning for gold in Russia, where Ireland have just completed another training camp, having had camps in Dublin and Belfast prior to their departure.
“Last year before the Commonwealth Games was the best preparation I’ve ever had for a competition, but this time, it’s going to top it,” McGinty told Donegal Sport Hub.
“Preparation has been exceptional.”
The eight-time Irish champion is aiming to become only the second Donegal man and third Donegal boxer to get onto the podium at a World Championships.
Austeja Auciute won a bronze at the Women’s World Youth and Junior Championships in 2011, while Jason Quigley stands atop the list after his silver medal win in the 2013 World Elite Senior Championships in Kazakhstan.
McGinty said: “A European medal was great and a Commonwealth medal was even better. Who can top a World medal? There aren’t many other Donegal men, apart from Jason Quigley, who have been on the podium at the Worlds.
“We’ve been putting in a lot of work, but hopefully when I’m standing on the podium in St Petersburg it’ll be all worth it.”
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