Boxing

Olympic gold medallist Kellie Harrington plans to retire at 34

Wedding to long-time partner at the weekend was ‘amazing’, the Dublin boxer says

Kellie Harrington: ‘I want to have a bit of a life... [AT 34]that’ll be me done and dusted.’ Photograph: Alan Betson

Aine Kenny
Tue Apr 12 2022 - 13:54

Olympic gold medallist Kellie Harrington has described her wedding day as “amazing” and said she plans to retire from boxing when she turns 34.

Speaking to the Dermot & Dave show on Today FM, she said she would not consider going professional. “I want to have a bit of a life... [at 34] that’ll be me done and dusted.”

She said she won’t walk away from the sport completely and will still go to her boxing club to train as it is good for her mental health. “I’ll tip away so I can eat more cakes and takeaways,” she joked.

She described professional boxing as a “business” which is not for her. Her goal is to get to the 2024 Paris Olympics, saying if she does not make it that far, she will settle down sooner.

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Ms Harrington also married her long-time partner Mandy Loughlin over the weekend. The couple had been together for more than 10 years and tied the knot in an intimate ceremony on Saturday.

“I already feel a little bit older,” she joked. “It was a fantastic day, you know the Irish weather, we got the four seasons in one day, but we got a good bit of sunshine throughout the day which was amazing.”

The couple had their dogs present for the wedding and they also decided against a honeymoon for this week as Ms Harrington is preparing for the Women’s World Championships in Istanbul next month.

Ms Harrington won a gold medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, which were held last summer. She described the moment as amazing but said it didn’t change her as a person. “I am still me, but people are definitely different around me, not my family or anything... a lot of people recognise my face now.”

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