THREE Irish Boxers Nominated for RTÉ Sport Sportsperson of the Year
It seems boxing punched above its sporting weight in 2024.
No fewer than three Irish boxers have been nominated for the RTÉ Sport Sportsperson of the Year award.
Double Olympic gold medal winner Kellie Harrington, two-weight undisputed world champion Katie Taylor and IBF world champion Anthony Cacace are among the 12 nominees for the gong.
The boxing trio have been nominated alongside Paris 2024 Rhys McClenaghan, Daniel Wiffen, Paul O’Donovan, Katie-George Dunlevy, Paul Townend, Shane O’Donnell, Rhasidat Adeleke, Ciara Mageean and Róisín Ní Ríain.
Speaking on why history maker, Kellie Harrington was nominated RTE said: “Harrington became Ireland’s first individual back-to-back Olympic champion at Paris 2024, adding gold to the gold she picked up at Tokyo 2020.”
On Taylor, they said: “The Bray boxer is the undisputed world super-lightweight champion. This year she defended her status as undisputed world light-welterweight champion, following a unanimous decision victory over Amanda Serrano in Texas.”
Speaking on IBF Cacace’s nomination, RTE explained: “The boxer beat Joe Cordina to take the IBF world title belt and become Ireland’s first super-featherweight champion. “
Taylor was the last boxer to win the award doing so in 2022. The Irish Icon also picked up the gong in 2020 and 2012. Barry McGuigan was the first ever winner of the award, the Clones Cyclone presented it in 1985, Michael Carruth was 1992’s winner and Michael Conlan won it in 2015.
Boxers also feature prominently in the RTÉ Sport Young Sportsperson of the Year award with Adam Olaniyan and Kyla Doyle nominated.
