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Top Olympic seeding for Kellie Harrington

Kellie Harrington goes into the Tokyo Olympic Games as the #1 lightweight seed.

The 2018 World amateur champion was confirmed as the top seed in a very competitive weight and should now be handed a favourable draw.

The seeding is reward for the Dubliner’s performances in the European Olympic Qualifiers in Paris last month, where she won gold by defeating fellow medal hopefuls reigning pro world champ Maiva Hamadouche and emerging GB talent Caroline Dubois.

The points earned saw her named the top ranked fighter in the rankings compiled by the Olympic Task Force which is running the Games.

The top seeding should see her progress past the first round and into the last 16, meaning the gold medal hope is only two wins away from an Olympic medal.

However, Harrington will populate the same side of the draw as the reigning world champion and favourite to win gold Beatriz Ferriira.

The Brazilian is currently ranked #2 in the rankings, which would normally mean the pair would be kept apart until the final – if they both made it that far.

However, Americas Olympic qualifier tournament canceled the Task Force ruled that the top-ranked fighter from the Americas would be handed a third seed in Tokyo regardless of ranking, so the #2 Brazilian is the #3 lightweight at the Games.

Michaela Walsh also secured a seed, the Belfast featherweight goes into the games as the #4 seed, meaning she too should make her Olympic debut in the last 16.

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