Katie Taylor is the greatest Irish athlete of all time

FORGET Paul McGrath, Brian O’Driscoll, Roy Keane and the likes Kaie Taylor is Ireland’s greatest ever athlete claims her coach and father Peter Taylor.

The girl with the Midas touch claimed her eighteenth major career gold in Baku last weekend to reconfirm her status as the greatest female fighter on the planet and Bray BC boss man Pete Taylor claims her achievements are unrivaled in Irish sport.

There can be no argument no Taylor’s dominance in her chosen sport can’t be matched by any other Irish sports star. The 28 year old has dominated since 2006 winning five World titles, six European Championships golds, five European Union gold, European Games gold and of course the Olympic gold.

Taylor has also been credited with revolutionizing female boxing and playing a key role in making it an Olympic Sport.

Again unrivaled success, but sports fans view of female boxing rather than Taylor herself might persuade them against crowning her the best athlete we ever had.

However, Her father believes the quality of opponent she over came to claim European Games gold and the fact such quality packed and hard fought fights were televised might change that perception.

“I think Katie is the greatest Irish athlete of all time. People get to see these semi-finals and that’s made people realise it’s not that easy to win these titles,” said Taylor senior.

“She’s won medals sometimes in obscure places and people only see Katie walking through an airport with the gold medals. I think they have seen now how difficult these are to win.

“Yeah, it will be tough, but Katie is going to improve by then,” he added in relation to the World Championships, to be held in February next year.