Wonder year for Ward despite defeat in worlds

The ups and downs sport can inflict on an athlete - from immense joy and euphoria to downright desperation in a matter of months - were perhaps best illustrated in 2011 by the case of local boxing starlet Joe Ward. Kevin O'Neill recaps on a year of mixed fortune for the Moate native, and looks ahead to what lies in store for the current Irish and European light-heavyweight champion. MOST sportsmen's year can usually be summarised by one particular event. Not so in the case of talented Moate boxer Joe Ward. Back in late February, Ward caught the attention of the nation when he defeated ten-time national champion, and Olympic Games silver medallist, Kenny Egan, in the National Elite Championships light-heavyweight final at the National Stadium in Dublin. It was a truly amazing feat for a 17-year-old, who had previously marked-out his undoubted talent when becoming World Youth champion. But Ward wasn't finished there. After seeing off the formidable challenge of Egan, he settled down to focus on the European Championships in Turkey in June. Following a mesmerising run to the final, Ward beat Nikita Ivanov of Russia in the decider (20-12), sealing a meteoric rise through the ranks of national and international boxing. It was all good for Ward, but then came an unexpected setback. Tipped as one of the favourites to win World Amateur Championships gold in Azerbaijan in late September and early August, the Westmeath sensation narrowly lost (in controversial circumstances) to Ehsan Rouzbahani of Iran in the last 16 stage. The current European light-heavyweight champion and Rouzbahani were tied at 15-15 at the end of the three rounds but the Iranian got the nod on a countback. If Ward had beaten the Iranian, he would have secured automatic qualification to next summer's Olympic Games in London, but failing to do so means Ward must now go the long way around to reach the Olympics. After the defeat to Rouzbahani, Ward admitted he was at a low ebb, and that not clinching Olympic qualification through the Azerbaijan tournament had left him devastated. The route Ward must go down now involves retaining his national title at the Elite Championships in February, and that won't be easy, especially after Kenny Egan recently confirmed his decision to revert to the light-heavyweight division for the Elites. Egan had moved up to heavyweight for the World Championships, but is now gunning to retain the title taken from him last February by the precocious Ward. The enormous disappointment of the recent World Championships could eventually prove essentially important to Ward's future. The dismay, pain and sense of regret, and the harsh lessons learned through defeat, can help mould a defeated boxer into a more rounded and mature fighter. And both local and national observers will be waiting in anticipation to see how the youthful Ward reacts over the coming months. There's nothing to suggest the teenager from Farnagh, Moate, won't come out fighting. His rapid ascent through the ranks of junior, youth and senior level boxing has been breathtaking, and captured the imagination of the local sporting public. Retaining the national title is certainly not beyond the hugely talented Ward, but even if Ward manages to accomplish back to back national crowns, there's still work to do before sealing a dream ticket to the London Games. The Irish champion at February's Elites will then proceed to a final European qualifier for the Olympics, in Turkey in April, where only five light-heavyweight places remain to be filled. However, with all the big names having already qualified, and considering April's tournament is a pool of continental and not international fighters, Ward, if he retains his national title, would be a massive favourite to clinch one of the five places. This reporter had the privilege of speaking to Ward, both in the immediate aftermath of his shock defeat in Azerbaijan, and then again a couple of weeks after, and a drastic change in perspective in relation to the defeat to Rouzbahani was very evident, as was a major difference in his tone and attitude towards the loss. Ward had managed to pick himself up, and realised the magnitude of the achievements he carried out earlier in the year, and also vowed to come back stronger in the coming months. It will be no great surprise to this reporter if Ward indeed manages to bounce back in typically impressive style, and adds another national title to his bow, before belatedly sealing Olympic qualification in Turkey in April.