Jude’s a step closer to Paris

JUDE Gallagher made an emphatic start to his Olympic qualification campaign in Busto Arsizio, Italy, on Monday when he earned a unanimous decision against Algeria’s Hichem Maouche.

The Newtownstewart man looked relaxed and clinical in the E-Work Arena ring, easing his way through to the last-32 of the 57kg class where he will take on India’s Hussam Uddin Mohammed, who received a bye in the first round of the first World Qualification Tournament.

Should Gallagher progress to the last-16 on Sunday, he will take on either Algeria’s Mohammed Sattar Salih Shijawi or Morocco’s Soulaimane Samghouli who saw off Farid Walizadeh 5-0 in the last-64 in order to book a place in Monday’s quarter-finals.

For the Two Castles Club man to qualify for the Paris Olympics, he needs to reach the semi-finals in Busto Arsizio and given his form during his 5-0 triumph over Maouche and the dynamic fashion in which he annexed the Irish title late last year, few would bet against the reining Commonwealth Games champion achieving that aim.