25/09/2026
🥇🥊 GOLDEN GIRLS! Castlerea's O'Rourke sisters BOTH crowned European champions
Take a bow, Castlerea. In the space of 24 magical hours, the town has produced not one but TWO European boxing champions. 🇮🇪
Aoife O'Rourke sealed the double this evening in Sofia, defeating Turkey's Busra Isildar by unanimous decision to be crowned European champion in the women's 75kg division. After a scrappy opening, the Roscommon woman found her rhythm, her trademark left jab taking over as she boxed her way to a famous win.
It means Aoife has successfully defended her crown and claimed a phenomenal fourth European gold — and she's done it just a day after little sister Lisa stormed to gold of her own in the 80kg division. Two sisters, two European titles, one very proud family.
And this is no ordinary sporting family. The pair have already made history together, becoming the first sisters ever to reach World Championship finals in the same tournament, and even landed gold as a duo at the World Hyrox Championships in Chicago. Between them they now hold world and European honours, and they're still only getting started.
Fittingly, Lisa was ringside cheering Aoife on tonight, having promised the pair would be "celebrating twice as hard" if they both delivered. They did exactly that. 🥂
From a small Roscommon town to the top of the European podium, twice over. All of Connacht is bursting with pride tonight.
Comhghairdeas, Aoife and Lisa. Absolute legends, the pair of ye! 👏💚🥊
