Kellie Harrington made history at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. She is the first Irish athlete to win a medal at multiple Olympic Games. In her day job, she is much less in the spotlight.
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- Irish boxer Kellie Harrington won the gold medal in the 60 kilogram category in Paris.
- This makes her the first Irish athlete to win a gold medal at two different Olympic Games.
- The 34-year-old, who comes from a modest background, continued to work for the same company as a cleaner despite her Olympic glory.
Kellie Harrington won Olympic gold in boxing in the 60-kilogram category on Monday night. The Dubliner made history by becoming the first Irish athlete to win a medal at two different Olympic Games. The lightweight boxer previously triumphed in Tokyo in 2021.
Chinese boxer Yang Wenlu went toe-to-toe with Harrington, but in the end the judges gave the defending champion a narrow victory at the Philippe Chatrier stadium - which normally hosts tennis stars such as Rafa Nadal.
The winner knelt in the ring in tears, stood up, thanked the audience and improvised a dance with her coach. "It gives hope to all these young kids, all these teenagers. It gives hope to the people of Ireland, but this was for me," said Harrington, who was fighting her last fight of her career.
"She will remain humble, she comes from a humble community"
Current Dublin City Councillor Christy Burke, the city's former mayor, also expressed her enthusiasm: "Harrington unites the community, her victory goes beyond her personal ego." Irish President Michael D. Higgins wrote on X: "A truly remarkable achievement by a phenomenal athlete."
Her parents, who have remained on the island, told the local press that they are very proud of their daughter and that the second Olympic victory will not change who she is. "She will not change. Kellie will be the person she always was and always will be. Because she comes from a humble family, from a humble community," says her mother.
Working as a cleaner for eleven years
The semi-professional boxer has never made a secret of the fact that she works part-time as a cleaner in a hospital - for over eleven years in the same hospital. According to her, this also helped her to keep her feet on the ground after her first Olympic triumph.
Married to her partner of many years
She also owes her sporting success to her personal happiness: Harrington married her long-term partner Mandy Loughlin, with whom she has been together for fifteen years, in 2022. The two met in a gym during boxing training.
Harrington is not only a two-time Olympic champion and cleaning lady, but also enjoys renovating her home. She posted pictures on Instagram showing the couple remodeling their home together in Dublin.
