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Bolter Emmet Brennan sets new Olympic goal

Emmet Brennan set his sights on an Olympic medal within minutes of securing passage to the Olympic Games.

The Dublin light heavyweight won a last chance saloon shootout in Paris on Bank Holiday Monday to become the seventh Irish boxer qualified for the Tokyo 2020.

Brennan came through a brutal battle with Sweden’s Liridon Nuha to relaise his Olympic dream – and wasn’t long about setting himself a fresh Tokyo target.

It’s a massive turn around for the Dublin Docklands fighter considering he was set to call it a day in 2017.

“The plan is to get a medal. I’m going to give it everything I have, I quit boxing and only came back four or five years ago. The goal was to get to the Olympics. Now it’s to push on and try to get a medal, I’m going to give it everything I have,” a delighted Brennan said minutes after his victory.

The 30-year-old qualified via the most stressful route. It was win or bust in the box off, meaning the entertaining fighter faced the ultimate pressure fight.

However, he claims went into the clash calm and focused on securing the win not a ticket to Tokyo.

“I’ve actually been not as nervous as I should have been, the last hour I was just taking it as a normal fight, and trying to get into my head: ‘I just have to get a win, it’s only nine minutes away,” he added before stressing he didn’t allow the quarter-final defeat to xx play on his mind.

“There was no point in dwelling on a loss, when I had to get ready for the biggest fight of my life. It was last chance, so I had no choice but to throw that out of the way.”

Brennan, who took a Credit Union loan to fund his Olympic training, also heaped praise on the entire team and the influence they’ve had.

“There are no egos on the team, everyone works together, we have a strong squad, we have a strong backroom staff, and we’re all just working together. Zero egos, and that makes for a happier dressing room, and makes for better training across the board.”

Jonny Stapleton

Irish-boxing.com contributor for 15 years and editor for the past decade. Have been covering boxing for over 16 years and writing about sports for a living for over 20 years. Former Assistant Sports editor for the Gazette News Paper Group and former Tallaght Voice Sports Editor. Have had work published in publications around the world when working as a freelance journalist. Also co-founder of Junior Sports Media and Leinster Rugby PRO of the Year winner. email: editoririshboxing@gmail.com

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