USA Boxing names ex-Irish star Billy Walsh women's national team coach
The U.S. Olympic Team Trials for women's boxing are ongoing in Memphis, Tenn., with a new and well-trained eye overseeing everything.
Billy Walsh, a welterweight competitor on Ireland's 1988 Olympic team and a highly successful coach in Ireland for the last 12 years, was named the U.S. women's national team coach. He'll guide the Americans at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Walsh was the head coach and director of the high performance unit of the Irish Amateur Boxing Association for 12 years. His teams won seven medals in the last two Olympic Games alone. The U.S. had three medals in that same time, a bronze for the men in 2008 by Deontay Wilder, a gold in 2012 for Claressa Shields and a bronze in 2012 for Marlen Esparza.
"Coach Walsh brings extensive experience and knowledge with a proven record of success on the international boxing stage. He provides great leadership and stability for our female athletes, particularly the resident boxers at the Olympic Training Center. His commitment to Olympic-style boxing is evident in the impact he's had on the Irish boxing program," USA Boxing Executive Director Mike Martino said. "We look forward to integrating Coach Walsh and his international knowledge with the personal coaches across the United States who are responsible for developing and guiding our elite athletes. We appreciate the USOC's support of our program and goals for the future."
Walsh has plenty of talent on the women's roster. In addition to Shields, who won gold in Rio after overcoming sexual abuse and a difficult childhood, there are a number of top quality fighters on the team. Esparza, Mikaela Mayer and Jajaira Gonzalez are all considered premium talents.