The Wellie Race Committee are delighted to announce that local hero, Irish Olympic Boxing Captain, the pride of Paulstown, Darren O Neill will be race personality 2016.

Darren has claimed all honours around him at underage levels. He finished second at light-heavyweight at the National Championships 2005 and 2006 behind  Kenneth Egan . Darren has since won four national middleweight championships where he has excelled since switching. He lost to  Darren Sutherland on a questionable decision in 2008.

He was crowned European Union Champion in 2009 and won a silver medal at the 2010 European Championships. In the 2010 European championships he defeated four opponents including medal favourite Sergey Derevyanchenko of Ukraine before losing to Artem Chebotarev of Russia in the final. He was named the captain of the Irish boxing team at the 2011 European Championships. He secured automatic Olympic qualification for the 2012 London games in the World Amateur Championships 2011. At the 2012 Summer Olympics in London he again captained the Irish boxing team. He  bore the flag for Ireland  at the 2012 Summer Olympics closing ceremony .

We are delighted to welcome Darren to ‘comer on Wellie Race day and hope he will find the experience a complete knock out.