Not two good to be true

KELLIE Harrington claimed that the best win of her career was two years in the making after clinching the lightweight gold in the AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships.

Speaking in New Delhi after beating Thailand’s Sudaporn Seesondee in the final, Harrington pointed to the silver medal that she won in the light welterweight division in 2016 as the inspiration for this triumph.

To put it this achievement in context, the 28-yearold’s success had only previously been achieved by Katie Taylor and Michael Conlan.

“I’m still kind of numb right now, to be honest,” she said afterwards.

“It won’t really hit home until I get home. It’s been a long process since 2016. I wanted to come back and get a gold. I said I’d come back and get it.

“Sometimes when people say that they don’t believe it. I said it and I believed it.

“I worked in silence, came back and did the job.”

In a cagey opening round, Harrington got through with some combinations late on in a decent finish to a tight round from the Dubliner.

Harrington moved smoothly in the second, landing a great right after a slick combination but her Thai opponent also landed some decent shots.

Seesondee was more aggressive in the final round but Harrington evaded the biggest punches mid-round and the Irishwoman finished strongly with a nice connect before the bell to win on a split decision.