It is exactly four years to the day that Katie Taylor hammered Irish boxing's spot onto the map as she won her fifth gold medal at the AIBA Women's World Boxing Championships. Today, Ireland's supremacy at the 60kg mark is back as Kelly Harrington made her own history with a sensational gold medal in New Delhi.
The Dublin lightweight beat Thailand’s Sudaporn Seesondee on a split decision in a tense contest. The pair were two evenly matched boxers but Harrington's superior defence and sharp reflexes gave her a slight edge and it finished 3-2, with the five judges scoring it 30-27, 29-28, 28-29, 28-29, 28-29.
Amazing job by Kellie Harrington the AIBA Women’s World Champion winning Gold #boxing#iaba#20x20#ireland#sport pic.twitter.com/JfURkHx7lJ
— IABA (@IABABOXING) November 24, 2018
Harrington was roared on by a vocal Irish support who were ecstatic at the result, which included her team-mates and Bernard Dunne.
It is a just reward for Harrington, who joins an elite and exclusive group of Irish fighters to win gold at the World Championships. Only Katie Taylor and Michael Conlan have done so previously. She also joins Katie Taylor and Joe Ward as the only Irish boxers to compete in more than one World Championship final.
A delighted Zaur Antia embraced the emotional St Mary’s BC star after the result. It means that Harrington will arrive home tomorrow a World Champion, the latest accolade in a sensational year for Irish sport.
