Kellie Harrington closed out her boxing career in style, wearing her second Olympic gold medal around her neck.
The 34-year-old finishes her career as a two-time Olympic, world, and European champion.
She will be remembered not simply as one of Ireland’s finest Olympians, but also in the country’s sporting history.
With her Paris gold following her Tokyo victory three years ago, Harrington has joined Nicola Adams and Clarissa Shields as the only women to retain their Olympic boxing championships.
The Dubliner’s triumph also secured a seventh medal of the Games—four gold and three bronze—for Ireland, making the 2024 Olympics their most.
It was fitting that Harrington should be the one to accomplish this achievement. She becomes only the third Irish athlete to retain Olympic gold medals, joining Pat O’Callaghan in 1928 and 1932, as well as rowers Paul O’Donovan and Fintan McCarthy.
In 100 years of Olympic competition, that is the end of the list.
