Kellie Harrington back in training but rules out ring return
Mhuircheartaigh, Ní Lucy Of Row, Blackmore, Adeleke, On On Ciara Back Louise Mccormack Róisín Fionnuala Clancy Clancy Lisa Mageean, Mcsharry, Ade Riain, Of Lisa Behalf Ní Eimir Mona Behalf Mulhall,
DOUBLE Olympic boxing champion Kellie Harrington capped off her historic year by winning the 2024 Irish Times /Sport Ireland Sportswoman of the Year award.
Irish sportswomen brought home a slew of medals from the Olympics, Paralympics and European athletics this year but Harrington’s achievement in successfully defending her Olympic 60kg title capped the lot.
No Irish boxer had ever before retained an Olympic title and Harrington’s success in Paris also made her only the fourth Irish athlete to win two Olympic gold medals.
She also became the first Irish woman to win Olympic medals at different Games and only the third woman to retain an Olympic boxing crown; something only GB's Nicola Adams and USA's Claressa Shields had previously achieved.
Harrington announced her international retirement immediately after her heroics in Roland Garros and confirmed she has not changed her mind.
But she admitted to missing training and revealed that she returned to work out with the Irish elite training squad in Abbottstown in the past week and may yet take up an invite to join their training camp in China next February, where her sparring ability would undoubtedly be a huge addition.
“I’ve been out there for the last week because there was a training camp with France. I feel great just dropping in and out,” Harrington said.
“I actually think clearer when I’m able to train, I forget myself sometimes that the whole reason why I train so much is because it helps with my mental health. You can’t take a break from your mental health.”
Harrington indicated that coaching, especially at the elite level, does not appeal to her and she also ruled out getting involved with the current power struggle that has sundered international and Irish boxing, leaving its Olympic future in real jeopardy.
“I honestly don’t want to get involved because I don’t know either side but one thing I will say is that whoever takes over World Boxing – and I have actually sent a message to World Boxing to say this - needs to sort this out and stop professional boxers fighting in amateur sports,” she stressed.
Harrington also won this award in 2018 and is only the third repeat winner after Katie Taylor (a five-time winner between 2007-2020) and Cork footballer Briege Corkery (2005 and 2015, the latter as a joint winner with Rena Buckley).
This year’s ‘Team of the Year’ award went to Paralympic cyclists Katie-George Dunlevy and her pilots Linda Kelly and Eve McCrystal for their outstanding achievements at the Paralympics (one gold, two silver) and World Championships (two golds), despite a season thwarted by injury and illness.
The Irish SWOTY award started in 2004 when its first winner was flat jockey Cathy Gannon and all of this year’s monthly award winners, and many previous SWOTY winners, were invited to Friday's star-studded special 21st event.
2024 monthly winners were: Fionnuala McCormack (December/athletics); Lucy Mulhall (January/rugby Sevens); Mona McSharry (February/swimming); Rachael Blackmore (March/horse racing); Róisín Ní Riain (April/Para-swimming); Rhasidat Adeleke (May/athletics); Ciara Mageean (June/athletics); Kellie Harrington (July/boxing); Louise Ní Mhuircheartaigh (August/LGFA); Katie-George Dunlevy & Linda Kelly (September/Paracycling); Lara Gillespie (October/cycling); Katie Taylor (November/Boxing).