SKY IS THE LIMIT FOR GOLDEN GIRL DAINA MARY FOGARTY
she has earned her time off.’
They do have their eye on the Olympics in Tokyo in 2020, but for now it’s one step at a time. The youth Olympics will take place next year, and before that the Leinsters, Irish and Cadets. Daina is too young for the World Championships in the coming year.
She’ll be back in High Performance training in three weeks.
‘She’s worked unbelieveably hard,’ said Paul. ‘She’s a very talented young girl. She has it all. She’s a very good girl for listening and she does what she’s told.’
They work well together and you can see the mutual respect that Daina and Paul have for one another.
Dad John is a very proud father, and her mother Melissa said that they were both thrilled when she took gold in Bulgaria.
‘Any time she’s in the ring, that’s all that’s in your head – oh God, make her win,’ said Melissa. ‘She gives it her best shot every time. She loves it and she’s so dedicated. Her coach Paul is brilliant with her. He puts a lot into Daina and she puts a lot into him. The two of them are great together.’
Her parents thought when she took up boxing it was a great past-time for her, they never thought she would become such an athlete so young. ‘As she progressed over the years she just became really good. We were just amazed. She started winning everything, and it brought her to the Europeans.
Daina’s father John was a boxer and her brother Michael boxes in the same club. He was out for a time due to a shoulder injury. Michael also plays football and is just back from Barcelona with Ardmore Rovers.
Five years ago when Daina walked into Enniskerry Boxing Club she was, as Paul O’Toole describes, ‘a tiny little thing’.
‘Everyone knew from the first night she had a spark, she had that footwork. She was always there and never missed training. She’s just an amazing young girl, I’m so proud of her.’
Daina’s granny Margaret Fitzpatrick said that Daina is ‘just brilliant’ and that she’s a lovely young girl who always has a nice manner and never grumbles. ‘She’s worked very hard,’ said Margaret, who was visiting along with Daina’s cousin Becky Wilson.
‘I think she’s going to go far, I really do.’