Michael O'Neill, 17 October 2011

Katie Taylor faces without doubt her toughest challenge to date, as the 2011 European Women’s Championships get under way today at the Topsport Centrum in Rotterdam.

In the last major event before the 2012 Worlds in China, Taylor faces a very strong team that includes two World Champions, Turkey’s Gulsum Tatar (who has twice ,controversially, defeated Taylor, albeit a few years back) and Russian team captain Sofya Ochigava, a ‘shock’ 8:1 winner against Taylor in the Czech Republic last year, when many neutral observers believed the Irish champ should have had five points in round one alone.

Also taking part will be the elite of the 60kg lightweight division’s usual elite boxers including Denica Eliseeva, Ingrid Egner, Danuse Dilhofova and England’s former European kick-boxing champion, 19 years old Chantelle Cameron from Northampton who despite her relative inexperience may well be a surprise medal contender. Taylor, at her best, has already defeated these and the other challengers on one or more occasions so the real threats will be Ochigava, twice the World Bantam champion at 54kg and Tatar, the 64kg World light welter champion.

The draw will take place in Rotterdam this morning and Taylor could be in action as early as this evening, depending on the draw. Ireland has chosen a nine strong team for this vital tournament, an event rightly described by Taylor’s Dad and Coach, Peter as being as tough as the last World Championships.

Russia’s Head Coach is keen to play down any suggestion that this is simply between Taylor and Ochigava saying that the entry is so strong that they may not even meet. One or either could be defeated, he says whilst also pointing out that Ochigava has only recently returned to action following a serious knee injury which kept her out for almost a year. In her preparation for this event though Ochigava has appeared to be almost back to her very best pre-injury form.A unique feature of the Rotterdam event is the appearance of three Azerbaijani women boxers in Ayzanat Hajiyeva (60 kg), Helena Vistropova (69 kg) and Leyla Javadova (75 kg)

Some of Ireland’s leading future prospects are also in the team for Rotterdam including Katie Rowland from the Geesala club, Michael Walsh of the Holy Family BC (both bronze medal winners in the 2011 World Youth Championships and Cavan’s Ceire Smith, who represented her country at the 2010 Worlds in Barbados. One thing IS sure and that is that the 60kg class will be by far and away the hardest to win. Whoever comes out on top will be a worthy winner in this the 8th European Championship title , where the last four 60kg golds have been gone to Katie Taylor.The finals are on Saturday.

Ireland Team and Management: Rotterdam : 17th-22nd October

48Kg: Lynne McEnery (St Pauls)

51Kg: Katie Rowland (Geesala)

54Kg: Ceire Smith (Cavan)

57Kg: Michaela Walsh (Holy Family)

60Kg: Katie Taylor (Bray)

64Kg: Kelly Harrington (Corinthians)

69Kg: Laoise Traynor (Bray)

75kg: Sinead Kavanagh (Drimnagh)

81kg: Lauragh O’Neill (Paulstown)

Team manager: Anna Moore

Coaches: Pete Taylor, Zaur Antia, Damien Kelly

Physio: Mary Louise Ryan