Ireland's Harrington retains Olympic title


PARIS — Ireland's Kellie Harrington retained her Olympic boxing title on Tuesday and then called it quits.The 34-year-old Dubliner won gold at 60kg at the pandemic-delayed Tokyo Olympics three years ago and defeated China's Yang Wenlu by split decision to make it two golds in a row.

It was Ireland's fourth gold in all sports in Paris.

Harrington said she wanted to go out on a high after making a piece of history as the only Irish boxer ever to retain an Olympic title."I'm done and dusted. I'm going to go out a champion, that's the way I want to go out.

I don't want to go out and lose a fight and then retire. I'll retire happy," she said. Harrington was among the favourites from the very start of the boxing in the French capital but Yang was the top seed, with the Irish boxer seeded third.

Harrington had strong backing throughout from the vocal Irish fans who outnumbered the Chinese spectators