Kellie Harrington is an unusual boxing champion. She is passionate only about the amateur version of her pro-dominated sport, and she has long claimed to have no ambitions of being paid to fight.
Minutes after she stepped onto the podium at Court Philippe Chatrier to have her second gold medal hung around her neck Tuesday night, Harrington announced her retirement from boxing. The money to be made from being a two-time Olympic gold medalist in a passionate fight nation like Ireland still isn’t enough for Harrington to change her plans after her magical run at the Paris Games.
After clinching victory, Harrington said she was hanging up her gloves.
“The last hurrah, I’m done. I’ve always said I want to retire a champion, that’s it,” Harrington told Irish national broadcaster RTE.
Harrington is the first Irish woman to win gold medals at two Olympics, and she is just one of four Irish athletes to retain an Olympic title. After winning three years ago in Tokyo, she clinched her second gold with a remarkable charge through the Paris field, capped by her 4-1 victory over China’s Yang Wenlu at Roland Garros.
