Boxing:Olympic silver medallist Kenny Egan has resisted the temptation to join Darren Sutherland and turn professional. Instead the Neilstown boxer will remain amateur and go in search of gold at the London 2012 Games.
The light-heavyweight revealed this afternoon that he had offers from three different promoters to turn professional but rejected them in favour of an improved deal with the Irish Sports Council.
"It didn't seem right," said Egan, referring to the option of turning professional. "I just didn't want to make a mistake. I had been under stress for the last four months, getting snappy at home. But my gut instinct and my heart told me to stay amateur. This is about Ken Egan.
"The professional game is great, the bright lights, all the money but it's just not me. November was the first time I laughed and joked in four months because I had finally made up my mind."
Egan, 26, captained the five-man Irish boxing team who returned from the Beijing Games with three medals - Sutherland and Paddy Barnes both won bronze to add to Egan's silver.
His team-mate Sutherland enjoyed a winning start to his professional career last night at DCU in Dublin where he stopped Bulgaria's Georgi Iliev in the first round. There had been speculation Egan may follow Sutherland's lead into the pro ranks.
However, the eight-time national champion, who boxes out of the Neilstown club in Clondalkin, Dublin, has his sights set on winning Olympic gold.
Egan's decision means the Irish Amateur Boxing Association (IABA) have retained four of the five boxers that thrilled the nation at last summer's Olympic Games.
Egan, Barnes, John Joe Nevin and John Joe Joyce have all remained amateur with only Sutherland turning professional.
IABA president, Dominic O'Rourke, and Irish Sports Council chief executive, John Tracey, were delighted with Egan's decision.
"Kenny's decision is fantastic news and the fact that he is remaining in the amateur ranks is a tremendous boost for the IABA," said O'Rourke.
"His presence and experience on the Irish team will serve as an inspiration to all the talented young boxers coming through up through the systems we have put in place.
"This year has been a year of unprecedented success for Irish amateur boxing as we have won medals in every international tournament we have entered in 2008.
"With the continuing support of the Irish Sports Council I believe we can build on that success next year and Kenny's decision to remain amateur can only help us in that regard."
Tracey, also an Olympic silver medal winner, said that the Irish skipper's announcement was a great boost for Irish sport.
"We are delighted that Ken has decided to stay an amateur and we look forward to working with him over the next four years. Ken provides great leadership to the young boxers coming up through the system in Ireland," said Tracey.