Katie Taylor ignoring Zika hysteria as she looks to win second Olympic gold

Katie Taylor is unconcerned by the ongoing drama surrounding the Zika virus ahead of her assault on a second Olympic gold.

Brazil, along with the majority of Latin America and the Caribbean is classified as ‘at risk’ for the transmission of the disease linked with defects in newborn babies.

The mosquito-borne disease is most threatening to pregnant women and those looking to conceive, and Brazil is designated as a lower risk country – especially at this time of year.

Therefore the string of withdrawals from high-profile golfers has been looked at cynically by most, including Taylor herself, who feel that money and a lack of desire to compete is the real reason.

Indeed Taylor admitted yesterday at the launch of the Team Ireland Olympic kit launch that “I’m not thinking about it [Zika], I’m focused on the competition itself and trying to come home a two-time Olympic champion.”

“We have been given a lot of advice on it and it’s not really something that we should be too worried about”.

Instead Taylor is intensely focused on winning a second Olympic gold and an amazing twentieth major international medal.

The Bray woman described how “It would mean absolutely everything to me really.”

“After I came back from London with a gold medal, my focus straight away was to defend it four years on.

“To stand on top of the podium in front of every other nation would be a privilege and an honour.”