In her final international battle, Kellie Harrington made her grand appearance at the esteemed courts of Rolland Garros, marking a series of groundbreaking achievements. Displaying the same polished and methodical approach that characterised her boxing performance throughout this competition, she achieved what no Irish boxer has before.
Harrington made history by outscoring Wenlu Yang of China in a closely contested match, reinforcing her status as the first Irish woman to defend an Olympic gold medal in any discipline. She broke records as the inaugural Irish boxer, irrespective of gender, to reach and clinch a gold medal bout in multiple Olympic Games. Her status as the most accomplished Irish Olympic boxer is now firmly established, her legacy immortalised.
After the victory, she expressed her conviction that her success would inspire youngsters and teenagers. However, she declared, “This one is for me!” Harrington’s recipe for success? Simply to be content, to revel in the moment, she explained, deciding that she was due for retirement while still a champion. As her fond farewell, she added ‘Bob’s your uncle, Fanny’s your aunt’ and concluded with ‘Goodnight Irene.’
While most of the tournament has been carried out at an industrial complex in Paris’s outlying regions, away from the heart of the city, the final stages were relocated to the renowned venue of the French Open tennis tournament. The same court where Novak Djokovic had clinched his gold medal two days earlier had never witnessed such unparalleled excitement. Harrington has indeed etched fully in the annals of Olympic history with her second gold victory in Paris.
Harrington’s match was the final contest of the evening. Following the jubilant exit of a significant chunk of the Algerian supporters, after their champion, Imane Khelif, triumphed in the 66kg final, one might question the ambiance that would endure for the conclusive fight. The spirited Irish spectators, however, quickly remedied any doubts with their fervent cheers, reaching a near untamed uproar as the bell rang, a momentum they sustained until the end.
Harrington advanced confidently, securing herself the initial two rounds and thereby easing any tension for those spectating. The third round was clinched by her Chinese adversary according to four of the judges, however, this had no influence on the overall outcome. Harrington’s victory was undoubted.
In the aftermath, she celebrated her win by playfully cavorting around the ring, her professional boxing days receding into her past, while her future as a civilian loomed bright. May she savour every moment of it.