EMMET BRENNAN SECURED his place at the Tokyo Olympics in the light heavyweight class after beating Sweden’s Liridon Nuha at the European Boxing Olympic qualifying event in Paris today.

The Dubliner came through a difficult fight – in which he was docked a point for holding – to win the box-off by unanimous decision and book his spot at the Tokyo Games.

The 30-year-old will be competing in the Olympics for the first time, and becomes the seventh, and last Irish boxer to qualify.

Brennan beat Switzerland’s Uke Smaji in the last 16, but lost to Croatian fighter Luka Plantic in the quarter-finals, making today’s bout against Nuha his last shot at qualifying for the Games.

Meanwhile Kellie Harrington and Michaela Walsh will both box for gold in Paris tomorrow after winning their respective semi-finals bouts earlier today.

Both fighters have already secured their place at the Tokyo Games and now have an opportunity to end the European qualifier tournament on a high.

Harrington secured a unanimous 5-0 win over Turkey’s Esra Yidiz and will take on British lightweight Caroline Dubois in tomorrow’s final.

It wasn’t as straightforward for Belfast featherweight Walsh, who beat Stanimia Petrova from Bulgaria 3-2 on a majority decision. She will meet Irma Testa of Italy in her final.

Earlier in the day Aoife O’Rourke – another fighter to have already secured a place in Tokyo – lost by unanimous decision to Britain’s Lauren Price. 

Welterweight Aidan Walsh, also Tokyo bound, was beaten on unanimous decision by Britain’s Pat McCormack. 

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