‘Driven By My Losses’ – Katie O’Keefe on the Wake Up Call that Inspired
Katie O’Keefe admits a big wake-up call means she won’t be caught napping again.
The Kanturk boxer claimed Irish title number eight when she won Intermediate honours at the National Stadium on Saturday.
It was a return to the winner’s circle for the much-decorated teen talent after her run of domestic success was ended at the National Under-22 championships earlier in the year.
Although that defeat came in her first year at the age group and in a stacked division, O’Keefe admits it stung badly.
She also pointed out it proved a wake-up call she used to fuel her run back to the winner’s circle.
‘I’ve had a bad few months of not winning. I didn’t win the U22s,” she told Irish-boxing.com.
“Then I was invited to the [European U22s] training camp and wasn’t picked. I was driven by my losses. I needed to get a win under my belt.”
“It stung and it knocked my confidence, especially after winning a lot. Then at the same time, If I’d won it, it wouldn’t have driven me as much as I’m driven now. I’m more determined and a loss is good in that way. It was definitely a bit of a wake-up call. I nearly got too comfortable in there.”
