O'Neill claimed all honours around him in Ireland at underage levels , as well as playing for Kilkenny U-21 hurley team . He finished second at light-heavyweight at the National Championships 2005 and 2006 behind Kenneth Egan . O'Neill has since won four national middleweight championships and two heavyweight championships where he has excelled . He lost to Darren Sutherland on a close decision in 2008 . He also lost out on a chance to compete at an Olympic qualifier to Sutherland in an IABA box-off . O'Neill was also 2009 European Union champion and 2010 European silver medalist . 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 , but went out in the last 16 to Stefan Härtel . He bore the flag for Ireland at the 2012 Summer Olympics closing ceremony . By 2015 , he had moved up to heavyweight , reaching the Irish final
2012 Summer Olympics closing ceremony
2012 Summer Olympics closing ceremony
Darren O'Neill