Going With the Flow’: Kellie Harrington Savours 12th Irish Title
What’s next for Kellie Harrington? Simple a big burger!
The treat was the only juicy thing on the Irish boxing legend’s mind after she defeated Kellie McLoughlin to claim her 12th Irish title last Saturday night. Harrington refrained from sharing any juicy news after the domestic win.
Having come out of retirement to regain the lightweight number 1 slot at the home of Irish boxing, its residents were more than interested to hear what she planned to do with the status.
There were queries as to whether the Tokyo and Paris gold medal winner would be part of the fresh Olympic cycle or if she’d consider wearing the green of Ireland at the next European Championships.
However, no answers forthcoming.
“I’m going to be very, very honest with you,” she told press.
“I’m heading home to have something juicy tonight [a buger]. Maybe not tonight because I’m actually full up with pasta and porridge and what have you, but my wife is somewhere in the crowd.
“Myself and another Kellie were boxing and all I could hear was my wife shouting, ‘that’s it Harrington’ and I knew straight away. You know what, like, that’s what it’s about, you know? Like, yeah. I don’t even know what else to say, I’m just,” she added before batting away any future fight talk.
“I’m not going to say it is and I’m not going to say it isn’t because I’m just going with the flow. I’m just doing me and that’s it.”
Harrington completed a journey she has travelled 12 times before on Elite finals night, stepping back into the winners circle domestically. It’s a unique challenge that differs from reaching the top of European, World and even Olympic podiums.
“It’s been a tough week, I’m not gonna lie, because sometimes it’s actually easier to box in a different country when you don’t know anybody who’s outside the ring, and you know that it doesn’t really matter how you go in there.
“When you’re stepping in here, you’re really under the spotlight. There’s people who want to see you do well. There’s people who want to see you getting beat. There’s people who want to see the underdog coming on top.
“Today, I felt like the underdog and I love that feeling of feeling like the underdog. It makes me want it more. It’s just been… It’s great to have a nice big long break, but what the break has taught me is that stepping in between those ropes at 60 kilograms is proper dedication to really focus on your diet, to be so disciplined.
“I actually never realised how disciplined I was until I took that break and I had to start over again. And then you’re back to the drawing board of doing what you’ve always done, but you didn’t realise how hard it was because you were so used to doing it.
“I have a new appreciation of myself and of the hard work that I put in now.”
