By 
JUDE Gallagher has endured a frustrating year since making his Olympic debut in Paris.
The reigning Commonwealth Games gold medalist felt a niggle in his lower back before travelling to France for that momentous occasion and the discomfort only grew in the weeks and months after, leading him to seek medical help.
It turned out, the 24-year-old had suffered a slip disc in his back, which necessitated treatment and rest. Unfortunately for the Newtownstewart man, the rehabilitation period took much longer than he anticipated.
“I was back training for the Elite’s November last year, at the end of 2024, after taking a break following the Olympics, but the niggle was still there,” he explained.
“But I trained and I trained and it was just getting progressively worse – I probably didn’t do myself any favours by keeping training.
“Eventually I got an MRI scan and I had a slipped disc, it was a very nervy pain and that’s what kept me out. I didn’t expect it to go as long, I thought maybe a couple of months at most but the last eight/nine months it’s been rehab.”
After getting to the point where he could train without pain, Jude was soon sparring again and he finally made his return to the ring competitively when he defeated English champion, Joe Turner thanks to a unanimous decision during an under-23 international tournament in Belfast.
And while he enjoyed experiencing the build-up to fight once more and stepping through the ropes again, he admits he was more than a little rusty!
“I got a couple of spars in and I was feeling good, so when I was asked if I wanted to take part in this round robin tournament I was like ‘absolutely!’.
“It worked out perfect, the timing of it and I had an exhibition bout with Jamie Graham from Belfast on Thursday night, which was good quality and then [on Saturday] I had my contest with the English under-23 champion.
“I got the win, which was good but there was definitely a lot of rust there. It was good, though because when I got back in there it wasn’t about trying to perform at my best, it was about appreciating being back in the ring because you can take it for granted.
“It’s something I’ve been doing for years but then the last 12 months, going through that rehab period and recovery, you had a lot of thoughts, wondering if your back will ever be right.
“So, [on Saturday night] going to the venue, the nerves coming back, making weight, getting back into that routine, it felt good.”
Having now returned to competitive action, Jude’s next target is the Ulster Elite Championships as he aims to earn a place at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow where he would love to experience winning gold, just like he did in Birmingham four years ago.
“The Ulster Championships are in early December and once again the timing looks very good, so hopefully that goes well because the Commonwealth Games are next summer, so it would be nice to play a big part in the team selection,” he added.
“And then the Irish Elite Championships are in January, so I’ll be busy right up to then.
“It will come thick and fast, but I want to be active and I want to be kept active to keep the ball rolling, to keep developing.”
