REESE Lynch will have the opportunity to become only the second Scottish boxer in 30 years to qualify for the Olympics after being selected to compete for Team GB at the European Games.
The Multi-Sport event, which will take place in Krakow, Poland between June 21st and July 2nd, will act as a qualifying tournament for next summer’s Olympic Games, with 44 places to box at Paris 2024 on offer to be secured.
The 21-year-old will be aiming to replicate fellow Light-Welterweight Josh Taylor, who remains the only Scottish boxer to compete at an Olympics in the past three decades when he competed at the London 2012 Games.
But the Rob Roy boxer will not be daunted by the task, having already made history by becoming the first and only Scottish medallist at a senior World Championships in 2021, before winning 63.5kg Gold at last summer’s Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.
Lynch said: “It felt brilliant to be selected for the European Games and I am so excited to get out there.
“When I came to GB Boxing, becoming an Olympian was the aim so to now have the chance to make that a reality and win my first European medal would be pretty special.
“Over the last 18 months I have been to some major competitions as well as some intense training camps and with that comes the opportunity to test yourself against some of the very best from all across the world.
“Having that exposure is only going to help me grow and develop as a boxer and I am sure it will help me going into the European Games.”
The Fauldhouse native is part of a squad of 13 boxers that Team GB will be sending to the event, with 178 British athletes chosen in total to participate in a range of sports.
The British squad contains seven boxers who won Gold at last summer’s Commonwealth Games, although unfortunately there is not a place for fellow Commonwealth Games Gold medallist Sam Hickey from Dundee.
Scotland’s only other full-time GB boxing member has had to jump up to Light-Heavyweight since winning 75kg Gold in Birmingham in August 2022, after the Middleweight category was removed for the Paris Olympics in order to accommodate more female weight classes.
Welsh boxer Taylor Bevan, who was defeated by Scotland’s Sean Lazzerini in the Commonwealth Games Light-Heavyweight Final last summer, has been selected as the sole GB representative at 80kg.
GB Boxing’s Performance Director, Rob McCracken said: “Changes to the weight categories for Paris 2024 mean the men’s selection was particularly competitive and has resulted in a lot of talented boxers in the GB Boxing squad missing out on this occasion which is disappointing because many of them have the ability to go to the Olympic Games and do well.
“It is unfortunate but this is the harsh reality of elite sport and means that the boxers we have selected need to look forward to the challenge and make the most of this opportunity.”
Full GB Boxing Squad selected for European Games;
Male boxers;
Kiaran MacDonald, Flyweight – 51kg
Jack Dryden, Featherweight – 57kg
Reese Lynch, Light-welterweight – 63.5kg
Harris Akbar, Light-middleweight – 71kg
Taylor Bevan, Light-heavyweight – 80kg
Lewis Williams, Heavyweight – 92kg
Delicious Orie, Super-heavyweight – 92kg+
Female boxers;
Demie-Jade Resztan, Light-flyweight – 50kg
Charley Davison , Bantamweight – 54kg
Elise Glynn, Featherweight – 57kg
Shona Whitwell, Lightweight – 60kg
Rosie Eccles, Welterweight – 66kg
Kerry Davis, Middleweight – 75kg
