Katie Taylor expressed her “huge relief” after crowning her glittering career with an Olympic boxing gold medal with a gruelling 10-8 victory over experienced Russian Sofya Ochigava at ExCeL.

Paddy Barnes hopes to become the first Irish boxer to win two Olympic medals and victory over newcomer, Devendro Singh (India), in tonight’s quarter-final the ExCel (8.45pm) would fulfil that ambition.

There were mixed fortunes for Ireland’s boxers last night on a day when the track and field team also got a chance to taste the Olympic atmosphere.

Adam Nolan has savoured it already, but this will be young Michael Conlan’s first taste of the unique Olympic atmosphere when he joins the Wexford man on tonight’s bill at the ExCel, with the Irish camp bidding to get back on the winning trail after yesterday’s first boxing loss.

Japan were last night successful with an appeal against Satoshi Shimizu’s controversial Olympic Games bantamweight defeat to Magomed Abdulhamidov at ExCeL.

Mark Steinberg, the agent of former world number one Tiger Woods, has joined Excel Sports Management.

AMIR KHAN will take the first step towards rebuilding his career when he meets Ireland’s Oisin Fagan at London’s ExCeL on December 6.

Excel Airways was today heading for a takeover by Iceland-based Air Atlanta after it emerged the UK company’s two biggest shareholders were in talks.

A new airline was operating its first services between London and the Middle East today.

A new airline offering passengers leather seats and linen headrest covers is to be launched on Monday.