Jon McConnell gets Ireland off to bright start at European Elite Championships

Fresh from delivering Northern Ireland’s only gold medal in the ring in the Commonwealth Games in July, Jon McConnell got Team Ireland’s European Elite Championships off to an emphatic winning start in Bulgaria on Thursday evening.

McConnell is part of a 14-strong Ireland squad in Sofia that includes a late change after two-time Olympic champion Kellie Harrington was forced to withdraw with a hand injury. Kellie McLoughlin has instead travelled, competing in the women’s lightweight division.