'Pure class': Kellie Harrington's family delight as boxer makes Olympics history
Kellie Harrington celebrates after beating Angie Paola Valdes Pana. Picture: INPHO/James Crombie
Kellie Harrington’s family have said they are "so proud" of their history-making daughter at the Olympics in Paris.
The boxer secured a unanimous decision win over Columbian Angie Paola Valdes Pana on Wednesday night, guaranteeing her at least a bronze medal.
In doing so, she has become the first Irishwoman to win medals at two Olympic games and just the fourth Irish athlete to accomplish the feat overall.
While Kellie was in the ring in Paris, her family was celebrating in Dublin.
“We’re so proud, proud for Kellie and proud for boxing," said Christy Harrington, Kellie’s father. "The way she boxed with pure class. You can't beat that. Even [boxing pundits] Bernard Dunne and Kenny Egan, they were blown away."
Mr Harrington said even Kellie's opponent "knew she was beaten by a great boxer" after Valdes Pana acknowledged her after the fight.
While they weren't in Paris for Wednesday's fight, Mr Harrington and two of Kellie’s brothers travelled to France to watch her opening fight in a first for the family.
“We’ve never travelled outside of Ireland with Kellie, ever. So for me to do that was just amazing,” he told RTÉ's Morning Ireland.
The proud father said the lightweight’s achievements will mean “everything” to her. Commenting on the atmosphere while watching his daughter fight in Paris yesterday, he said: “It was magic”.
He watched the fight alongside Kellie’s brother, Christopher, at their home in Portland Row, Co Dublin.
The pair said they did not tell Kellie’s mom, who traditionally has not watched her daughter fight, the outcome of the fight until 10 minutes after it had ended.
“I think she smoked 20 cigarettes in that 10 minutes,” Mr Harrington laughed.
Christopher described seeing his sister become a double Olympic medalist as “a surreal feeling”.
He said despite it being a challenge, he was confident in Kellie.
“I’d equate it to football — to beat a team is tough, to beat them twice is even harder. But I think we've seen in the last two fights that Kellie is relishing it, she's looking relaxed and like she’s just enjoying herself,” he added.
Christopher said his sister will be taking things one step at a time and focusing on her recovery after last night’s fight, before anything else.
He also reflected on the impact his sister has had on uniting his local community, describing it as “one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen”.
"Being involved in sport now as long as I have, I haven't seen anything like it. I’m speechless in terms of how this area has stood up and come together."
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