Michael Carruth, Ireland’s first ever Olympic Boxing gold medalist, has been inducted in to the RTE Sport Hall of Fame this evening.
Michael, of Drimnagh BC, made history in Barcelona 1992 beating World Champion and Seoul Olympics silver medalist, Cuba’s Juan Hernandez Sierra on a scorline of 13-10. Michael’s father Austin and Austin, and Ireland’s Cuban coach, Nicholas Cruz, were in his corner for the incredible bout.
Michael battled his way to the final with victories over Western Samoa’s Maseline Tuifao (11-2); Germany’s Andreas Otto (35-22) and Thailand’s Akom Chenglai (11-4). Ireland’s long wait for a gold medal in boxing was over, and the 36-year gap between Ronnie Delaney’s gold medal win in the 1,500m at the 1956 Games in Melbourne had been bridged.
The scale of Michael’s achievement is difficult to capture…He brought to an end Ireland’s 36 year Olympic gold drought, and with Barcelona silver medalist, Wayne McCollugh, put Irish Olympic Boxing on the map.
Since that historic night in Barcelona, Irish boxers have won 9 Olympic medals, 3 of them gold.
The winners of those three medals, Katie Taylor (London 2012) and Kellie Harrington (Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024) were nominated for tonight’s RTE Sportsperson of the Year accolade, along with Anthony “The Apache” Cacace and 9 others, which went to three time Olympic rowing champion, Paul O’Donovan.
Reigning World & European Youth champions, 66kg Kyla Doyle (Whitechurch BC) and 92+Adam Olaniyan (Jobstown) were in the running for the RTE Sport Young Sportsperson of the year. The award was bestowned upon double Paralymic silver medalist, swimmer Róisín Ní Riain.
