'We worked our a***s off': Kellie Harrington on why she brought her opponents to the winners' podium

Kellie Harrington during an open-top bus parade down her home street of Portland Row in Dublin City, as the last of the Irish Olympic athletes return from Tokyo.

Irish Olympic champion Kellie Harrington has said she brought her fellow medalists onto the winner's podium in Tokyo because "we worked our a***s off" to be there.

The Dublin boxer took gold in the lightweight category at the Tokyo Olympics a little over 10 days ago.

Speaking to Alison Curtis on Today FM's Ian Dempsey Breakfast Show, Harrington said "it was a moment we all should share together".

"They were trying to get us out of the ring as quickly as possible", she said, "and I thought, we’ve worked our a***s off for this forever.

"I respect all of them, I respect everyone in my weight, I respect anybody who puts themselves on the line there and steps in between those ropes.” 

The Portland Row native added: "It’s not about medals, it’s about sharing the moment.” 

When it was announced that Harrington had taken the gold in her final fight against Beatriz Ferreira, she said she wasn't present in the moment but it was such a relief. Picture: ©INPHO/Bryan Keane

During the course of the games 'Hakuna Matata' became a mantra for Harrington, which she says came from listening to Disney songs before fights to relax.

Before leaving for the venue, she said used to listen to 'Mighty King' and 'Hakuna Matata' from the Lion King and that phrase stuck with her.

"It literally means no worries; whether I win or whether I lose, I'm not worried, she said.

"I'm just happy, honoured and privileged to be there and to be in that position because there's so many people who want to be in that position who aren't."

She added: "I'm there because I deserve to be there, you know anything that comes after that it means no worries."

Speaking about her homecoming to Dublin, Harrington said it was an amazing feeling to see everybody who lined the streets to congratulate her and Team Ireland. Picture: Sam Boal/RollingNews.ie

When it was announced that Harrington had taken the gold in her final fight against Beatriz Ferreira, she said she wasn't present in the moment but it was such a relief.

She described the feeling, saying: "Just to hear that, yeah, you've done it, you've gone and you've, won an Olympic gold medal...oh my god, it's great, but it's such a relief.

"I just look into the corner and I'm like I can't believe that I've actually won a gold medal for our little nation like. This is history."

Speaking about her homecoming to Dublin, Harrington said it was an amazing feeling to see everybody who lined the streets to congratulate her and Team Ireland.

"I was absolutely exhausted but I'll tell you one thing, once we got on the bus and we hit the end of Ballybock, and we just seen all those crowds, myself and Emmet Brennan, the tiredness was gone straight away," she said.

"It was just absolutely fantastic. It was amazing to see everybody out lining the streets just to say congratulations and hello to myself and Emmett."