CAITLIN Fryers wants to uphold the proud tradition of Immaculata Boxing Club when she steps into the ring at her first Commonwealth Games in Glasgow this summer.
It’s 60 years since the legendary Jim McCourt returned with a Commonwealth gold from Kingston, Jamaica to the Lower Falls Road club.
In Birmingham at the last Commonwealth Games, Fryer’s stablemate Erin Nugget claimed a bronze medal and the Belfast gym has produced countless Ulster and Irish champions.
“To be part of the wall of people who have went from the club, it is an honour coming from such an established club in the west,“ said Fryers.
“It’s Immaculata’s 80th anniversary so it is good to put the club out there in such a big year for it too.
“It is unreal to be selected for the Commonwealths, I’m excited and can’t wait to get started it’s only nine or 10 weeks away so I’m buzzing.”
Fryers is a former European silver medallist and is used to the big boxing tournaments.
“I’ve been to multiple world stages but this is different, it is a different vibe to what the Europeans would be, I’m excited to go and even to get to watch a couple of new sports that I haven’t seen before so I can’t wait,” she adds.
“It will be good to see how athletes from different sports get on and seeing what the difference between them and boxing is.
“I can actually start telling people now that I’m going instead of people asking me if I going to the Commonwealths and I’m saying I don’t know yet.
“Even the other week I was at awards where they were saying you have the Commonwealths and I was like, I don’t know I can’t say anything.”
Boxing isn’t the only sport Fryers excels at.
“I have always been into sport my whole life, me and my brother have been really close ever since we have been kids, he joined boxing and I just followed suit,” Caitlin relates.
“I stuck at it and he left, I’ve enjoyed it from the minute I stepped into the club so I don’t see why I needed to give it up, I fell in love with it, so it was good.
“I play a good bit of Gaelic football as well, I play for Gort Na Mona up the Springfield Road, I have been kind of in and out this season because it is such a big year and I don’t want to take any unnecessary risks of getting injured.
“They are always behind me so its good, I like to play something different because it takes away from the stress of boxing 24/7 too.”
Fryers joked about getting hit harder playing Gaelic than in the ring.
“I have had more black eyes and injuries playing GAA than I have from boxing, both sports keep me fit for the other,” she insists.
“There is a lot of running involved in boxing so by the time I get onto the pitch it is easy for a good 60 minutes.”
Fryers has one ambition in Glasgow.
“I want a medal and I want a gold… gold is the goal, but we’ll take it one bout at a time and once we get into the medal stages, we’ll keep upgrading from there,” she says.
Fryers is one of five female Team NI boxers going to Glasgow.
“Women’s boxing has been on the rise the last number of years, every time we go away we are bringing back medals, we are bringing back success so they should be looking out for the girls more than the lads I think.
“The lads are putting in good preparation as well and we have a good strong team this year, the last Commonwealths were brilliant, but we’ll be looking to go a step further again.”
