Reigning Olympic champion Kellie Harrington makes history today, by becoming the first Team Ireland boxer to contest two successive Olympic finals.
She’s already joined Paddy Barnes (bronze, Beijing 2008 and bronze, London 2012) as the only two Irish boxers with two Olympic medals.
Kellie set up tonight’s historic final with a 4-1 victory over Beatriz Ferreira 4-1. That bout was a re-run of the Tokyo lightweight final, when Kellie came home with gold. Ferreira is a two-time world champion (2019, 2023) and a 2022 world silver medalist who also won the IBF world lightweight title in a burgeoning professional career.
“It feels fantastic to get that fight out of the way because Bea is a fantastic opponent and, since Tokyo, she’s gone on to do great things in the professional ranks. I felt like I was the underdog in there today and I knew she had a point to prove,” Harrington said.
“All anyone’s been talking about is you’re going to meet Beatriz but that might never have happened. Now it has happened and thankfully it turned out the way it did. I’ve no idea if I fought better than in Tokyo but I enjoyed it more, “ she added.
“I just feel happy and I think the happiness is because I’m coming to the end of the road and I just know there’s life at the end of the tunnel.
Informed that she had just secured the 100th win of her brilliant career Harrington said: “I didn’t know that but it seems right doesn’t it, as this is the 100th anniversary of Ireland taking part in the Olympic Games!”
Harrington’s place in history now rests on tonight’s late night’s final against Wenlu Yang (China), which takes place in tennis’ iconic Roland-Garros Stadium. The Chinese woman, a world bronze medalist last year, beat Taipei’s Shih Yi Wu 5-0 in the other semi-final, and beat Harrington in the 64kg final of the World Championships in 2016, but they haven’t met since.
They’re due in the ring at 10:06pm, Irish time.
Watch
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Team Ireland Boxing
Athletes:
Kellie Harrington (Dublin) Women’s 60kg
Aidan Walsh (Belfast) Men’s 71kg
Aoife O’Rourke (Castlerea) Women’s -75kg
Daina Moorehouse (Bray) Women’s -50kg
Dean Clancy (Sligo) Men’s 63.5kg
Grainne Walsh (Tullamore) Women’s -66kg
Jude Gallagher (Newtownstewart, Co. Tyrone) Men’s -57kg
Jennifer Lehane (Ashbourne, Co. Meath) Women’s -54kg
Jack Marley (Sallynoggin, Dublin) Men’s -92kg
Michaela Walsh (Belfast) Women’s -57kg
Staff:
Tricia Heberle – Performance Director & Team Leader
Zauri Antia – Head Coach
Damian Kennedy – Coach
Lynne McEnery – Coach
James Doyle – Coach
Jim Clover – Doctor
Lorcan McGee – Physio
Paula Fitzpatrick – Physiologist