Fifth year student Brett McGinty came back to Deele College this week to a hero’s welcome, after his stunning performances in the Commonwealth games, where the St Johnston man earned a silver medal.
After a summer spent in Russia, Australia and finally in Samoa, where the tournament was held, Brett is glad to get back to the daily routine of life at Deele College.
“I’m happy to be back at school to be honest. It’s nice to get back into a normal routine again. As much as I love boxing, it’s been eat, sleep train for the past couple of months and my body is glad of the rest.
Under the guidance of John Conlan, a Dubliner living in Belfast, Brett and his team mates enjoyed great success in Samoa, which was a result of the hard work that went on over the summer in both Russia and Australia.
Brett says that the training that he has received from both John and his club coach, Oakleaf’s Eugene O’Kane has been second to none and he is very thankful for the time and dedication both men have shown. Indeed their paths will cross again, as Brett has been selected to take part in an elite boxing programme through Jordanstown University, which will see a group of young boxers like Brett taken to Belfast to train on a regular basis. The aim of this training is ultimately, Tokyo 2020, a dream that Brett McGinty has firmly in his sights.
However, that dream is on the long finger for the minute, as he looks forward to next season, where an assault on another all-Ireland title is on the cards, but this one will be even more prestigious than the six he already possesses, as it will allow him to travel to both the European Championship and the World Championship in Russia, which would be a first for the seventeen year old. But before that, there is the chance that he could get the opportunity to box in Germany in a multi-nations’ tournament.
Brett has clearly illustrated his talent in the last few years, but he certainly raised eyebrows in the boxing world, when he beat tournament favourite, Ryan Scaife from New Zealand in the quarter final of the commonwealth games. Getting to the final, he was guaranteed a silver, but was a little disappointed not to take the gold but he came up against tough opposition in the form of Mohammed Harris Akbar from England.
Having completed Transition Year last year, Brett has begun the Leaving Cert Programme and acknowledged that it is going to be tough to combine both, but he still has aspiration for a future outside of boxing, should his career not scale the heights that he dreams about.
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“I suppose in my ideal world, I’ll be a professional boxer, but I realise that there are no guarantees, so I know I have to do well in school too. If I don’t become a full-time boxer, I’d like to become a teacher, as I would be able to combine work and sport. Darren O’Neill does both and look what he has done in boxing, so it makes me see that my education is important.”
School principal, Joe Boyle says that he is delighted to welcome Brett back to the school, after winning such a prestigious medal at the commonwealth games. Mr Boyle, who is no stranger to the world of sport, says that Brett’s silver medal is testament to the hard work and dedication that Brett has shown over the past couple of years.
“Success doesn’t come easy in any sport, not least boxing. Brett has a great work ethic and this medal is the prize for the sacrifices made by him, his coaches and his family. He will now have to focus on his studies and although he will miss school through training, we, at the school, will be doing everything we can to allow him to combine his education with his sport.”