Olympics - Boxing: Regardless of how they fare in Friday's semi-finals, Paddy Barnes and Kenny Egan will have Olympic medals to declare when they return home from China after two more outstanding performances at the Workers' Gymnasium. The hue of the medals will be determined over the weekend, but the duo have already secured the first Irish Olympic honours since Sonia O'Sullivan's 5,000 metres silver eight years ago.
Belfast light flyweight Barnes was first in action today. Facing Lukasck Maszczyk, the diminutive fighter's busy style saw him wear down the Pole to claim an emphatic 11-5 points success. The win guarantees Barnes at least a bronze with home favourite Zou Shiming now standing between him and a place in Sunday's Olympic final.
There was little in a cagey first round to suggest Barnes would win so convincingly as both fighters sounded out each others defence. But the 21-year-old moved up through the gears in the second, an unrelenting period of pressure at close quarters leading to five unanswered shots as a 7-3 lead was opened.
Barnes' right hand was causing the most damage as it consistently found a way through Maszczyk's increasingly fragile defence. Maszczyk did score a couple of points towards the end of round to narrow the advantage to 7-5. They would be his last.
Sensing his opponent was tiring, Barnes boxed sensibly in the final two rounds, keeping Maszczyk at arms length before launching sporadic attacks. Maszczyk failed to land a telling blow in the third while two more big right hands from Barnes took their toll.
An increasingly desperate Maszczyk was again kept scoreless during the final two minutes. Barnes, on the other hand, tagged on another couple of points to underline his dominance.
"I knew if I fought my fight and put him under pressure, he wouldn't last the pace," explained a jubilant Barnes afterwards. "And it showed in there, he didn't want to know. He couldn't hack the pace, he was wrecked. In the third round I was only starting and I knew I had him by then."
Barnes, who will now turn his attention to the semi-finals, remains confident of going all the way and claiming a first boxing gold for Ireland since Michael Carruth in 1992.
"I've got a medal, but not themedal which is the gold," he added.
A little over two hours later, team captain Kenny Egan took to the ring where the big-hitting veteran Washington Silva was blown away by the Neilstown southpaw who recorded an emphatic 8-0 victory.
Egan's utter superiority was evident from the first bell as the taller man bossed the ring. The cumbersome Silva seemed unwilling to throw, never mind land, a punch in real anger and it was no surprise that Egan led 3-0 after the opening round.
The second was a forgettable affair as the Brazilian again appeared disinclined to force the issue while Egan's punches glanced off Silva's gloves. But Egan found his range again in the third, punishing Silva with some powerful body shots before extending his advantage to 7-0.
It was a lead Egan was not going to relinquish and one final point sealed his passage to the last four of the light heavyweight division. Britain's Tony Jeffries is the man he will meet.
Afterwards, Egan was delighted to have lived up to his potential.
"I had a bit of bad luck in Chigaco (2007 World Championships), people had there doubts. I had a bit of bad luck in Pescara (Olympic qualifiers), again people had there doubts," he said.
"But here I am now, in the semi-final of the Olympic Games, no injuries, still handsome. Fine!"