Paris 2024: Kellie Harrington makes history ahead of blast-from-past clash

After the emotional rollercoaster at Paris 2024's swimming venue on Tuesday night as Daniel Wiffen won gold - which itself had been preceded by the thrill of Mona McSharry's bronze medal success - Wednesday to the north of the French capital was not a place where medals were to be handed out.

However, one was secured for Ireland but its lasting hue is still to be determined. Kellie Harrington earned herself a quarter-final win over her Colombian opponent Angie Valdes Pana, guaranteeing the Dubliner at least bronze and will head into the latter rounds of the women's 60kg competition with the possibility of winning back-to-back Olympic gold medals.

Indeed, in a 100 years of Team Ireland's official existence at the Games, she is just our fourth Olympian to medal at more than one Olympics, only the second boxer, and the first female athlete to record that feat. So she is very much in select company regardless of what transpires in Saturday night's semi-final.

She made relatively light work of her quarter-final, not drawing herself into trouble, keeping her distance and picking her moments, showcasing her experience and the confidence of a fighter who knows what it takes to make it to the top step of the podium.

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Only the second round was in any way close and even at that, the 34-year-old edged that one 3-2, at least where the judges were concerned.

Harrington cut a composed figure as she headed off to her post-fight interview with RTÉ Sport's Joe Stack within walking