Kellie Harrington rounded off a super week in Paris by winning gold at the European Championships following a dominant win over England’s Caroline Dubious.
Having sealed her place at Tokyo on Saturday last, the Dubliner continued her eye-catching form as her experience showed in what was a convincing victory over her 20 year old opponent at Le Grand Dome.
Harrington outboxed the young prospect from the offset and showed her strength as she fought to a 4:1 split decision verdict to claim the gold medal and boost the 2018 world champion’s seeding for the fast approaching Games at Tokyo.
Harrington picked off her shots admirably throughout as she made herself one who opponents will be watching out for in Tokyo, as she seeks to claim the same lightweight gold medal that Katie Taylor won at the London Games.
?RESULT?@Kelly64kg finishes off an excellent few days in Paris with a brilliant performance and she takes the win by split decision v ??!
She takes home a ? medal alongside her ticket to #Tokyo2020!
Well done Kellie!???#IABA #TeamIreland #RoadToTokyo pic.twitter.com/BMXvSo9aNt
— IABA (@IABABOXING) June 8, 2021
It was silver for Michaela Walsh in the featherweight final, as she lost out to Italy’s Imra Testa.
The Italian’s superior size came to the fore as the former lightweight kept the Belfast woman at bay from early in the fight to claim gold.
Despite the loss, Walsh can take great confidence from a successful week’s boxing, and her run to the final might even result in a seeded spot at Tokyo.
For the pair of Irish fighters, they can reflect on what was a super tournament, but not for long– with their attention now turning to the Olympic Games, just 43 days away.
