Paris 2024: Happy Harrington set to cement Olympics legacy in final

Three years on from Tokyo and Kellie Harrington is back boxing in an Olympic final, as she takes on Wenlu Yang from China in tonight's gold medal decider in Paris.

The Dubliner is setting new standards for Irish amateur boxing as her voyage takes her on unchartered waters in the nation’s most successful Olympic sport.

There have been gold medals before Harrington landed atop the podium in Tokyo with Katie Taylor and Michael Carruth reaching the pinnacle of the sport at London 2012 and Barcelona 1992 respectively.

And there has been that solitary occasion where an Irish boxer won back-to-back Games medals as Belfast flyweight Paddy Barnes secured bronze in Beijing in 2008 and again in London four years later.

Harrington is now on a quest to make it consecutive gold medals as she steps into the ring this evening, and judging by her performances thus far, at the Games and throughout the past 12 months, she has every chance.

Winning gold in Tokyo was a life-changing experience for Harrington, and like every Olympic champion, getting used to such a scenario took time, and no doubt, it’s fair share of toil.

Harrington had big decisions to make following her Tokyo success in both her boxing life and her personal plan.

Whether to hang up the gloves, whether to turn towards the paid ranks of the professional game, or whether to box on and plan for Paris?

Harrington chose the latter, and while there have been some well documented speed bumps along the way, a house renovation, and a marriage, the genial Portland Row fighter understandably took the road less travelled.

But all roads eventually led to Paris, and it was 12 months ago in Poland, when Harrington won the European Games and with it a ticket to the Olympics when it was abundantly