‘Done and Dusted’ – Olympic Champion Kellie Harrington goes out on the top
The gloves have been placed on the hook.
Ireland’s double Olympic champion Kellie Harrington has confirmed she will retire from International boxing.
The popular Dubliner made history when she beat China’s Wenlu Yang on Tuesday night and believes the top of the Olympic podium is the perfect platform from which to step away.
The first Irish boxer to win back-to-back boxing gold at the Games told RTE’s Morning Ireland that she was ‘done’ this morning.
“I know now, that’s it, done, dusted and what a way to go out,” she told Morning Ireland.
“The fact that I know that I am now done, and the fact that I am finishing this way [is great], ‘cos a lot of the time people don’t know when to finish, and I’m happy that I am making that decision to finish it this way, my way, and go out as a double Olympic champion.
“That’s it, that was it, done, dusted, I’ve nothing more to prove, not even to myself, which is the most important thing.”
While the 34-year-old won’t wear an Irish singlet ever again, there is still a chance she could step through the ropes and compete in a ring.
The 11-time Irish champion has hinted she may go for a twelfth domestic crown. Either way, she says she will remain in the sport and is more than happy to work with young boxers.
“I’m relieved to be done with the scales but I’ll always train because I believe that training helps me with my mental health, helps me to release those good endorphins and to feel good about myself….I’ll be hanging around the Sport [Ireland] institute, they are not going to get rid of me that easy…I feel like I have a lot of stuff that I can pass on to other athletes, so I want to do that.”
