'One moment can change your life': Olympic boxing hero Michael Carruth gets behind 'amazing' Irish team

Michael Carruth celebrates winning a gold medal at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. Picture: Inpho/James Meehan

One of Ireland's most celebrated Olympic gold medal heroes has said "one moment can change your life" as he urged the "amazing" Irish team to cherish their time in Paris.

Just under 32 years ago, Michael Carruth went from being a soldier merely heralded in amateur boxing circles to a household name across Ireland as he won gold in Barcelona in an unforgettable two-week journey that lit up the country.

He said mental strength was the “most important” thing to have as Irish athletes battle it out at the Olympics.

He told the Irish Examiner: “The saying in our club is ‘Once you believe you can achieve’ and that is what I would say to our athletics. If you are not mentally prepared then you’re going to struggle.

“We have 10 boxers going into the competition, which is absolutely phenomenal. In every weight division we have young female boxers too, that is incredible."

Getting over disappointment and turning it to your advantage is key for any athlete, he said. 

“Look at me, I was knocked out in the second fight in Seoul in 1988, but I won gold four years later. Age is a big thing and experience is important. It will be 32 years on August 8 since I won gold for Ireland.

"We were young and naive in Seoul, four years later I was 25, and its a huge difference. I was a boy in Seoul and man in Barcelona."

Gold medal Olympian Kellie Harrington will compete again, along with bronze winner Aidan Walsh.

'We have a fantastic line-up and I just tell them all, don’t go to the Olympics just to be there, give it everything, don’t regret not doing your best.'

Mr Carruth said: “People will be expecting great things, but I just say to them they have nothing to lose, just keep going.

“It is the simple things that will win a fight — one punch can change the whole game, one punch can change your whole life”.

He said with this year’s competition, he is going to watch all of the Irish athletics in action.

Look at the calibre of people we have in rowing, swimming and gymnastics. It is amazing. I'm not just going to watch the boxing.

“But this is not the European games, this is America and Jamaica competing too, it’s much bigger. You just have to do your best and stay focused."

Even if the athletes are fully prepared, luck is added to the equation at the highest level, he said.

Whatever they do, they must give their all and not have any regrets about leaving something behind, he added.

“Any one of the 10 of our boxers can medal, you have to be lucky as well, sometimes judges see red when it was blue.

“We have a fantastic line-up and I just tell them all, don’t go to the Olympics just to be there, give it everything, don’t regret not doing your best.

“You have to believe in yourself, don’t be left asking could I have done any more work because that is not a great place to be in.

“I am wishing them all well, I know they will do the country proud.”