KELLIE WON’T CURB HER ANIMAL INSTINCT
KELLIE HARRINGTON admits ‘training like an animal’ is what keeps her going.
The 2018 world championship gold medallist is targeting qualification for the rescheduled Tokyo Olympics next summer.
But even if the Games don’t take place, as some fear due to coronavirus restrictions, the Dubliner will continue a high intensity regime.
She says it’s what keeps her mental health in check and used the European Week of Sport 2020 launch to call on others to get active.
Harrington said: “Here’s the thing that I say about training for my mental health – I’m going to train anyway, whether these Olympics are next year or they’re not.
“I’m going to keep training and I’ll train the way I train because I just love it, I love training like an animal basically. It’s just what I enjoy.
“It’s my adrenaline rush so if they’re here next year, it’ll be great.
“If they’re not here next year, it will be sad but the training will still continue and I’ll just keep going on, I’ll just keep plodding forward.”
Harrington, 30, has previously hinted at hanging up her gloves if next year’s Olympics are cancelled. But she admits now she’d like to win more Irish titles at least.
She said: “If there is no Olympics, I’d be interested in coming back.
“I’ve nine elite Irish titles, I’d be interested in coming back and getting another two Irish titles. International-wise, I don’t know. I don’t know what I’m going to do if the Olympics is cancelled but I’ll definitely be on the Irish scene anyway.”
The lightweight has a tournament scheduled for Germany in October but admits she’s ultimately focused on the Olympics qualifiers in early 2021.
Harrington said: “These competitions are all stepping stones until the European Olympic qualifier.”
Kellie Harrington was speaking at the launch of European Week of Sport 2020. See www. sportireland. ie/europeanweekofsport for more information.