Going for gold - Katie setting the standard to follow

Silver — and now for gold! There are moments in a lifetime that etch events in the mind. Yesterday was such a moment when Katie Taylor gave the nation cause to rejoice.

An exceptional sportswoman and acknowledged as the best female boxer in the world, the 26-year-old from Bray, Co Wicklow, has presented Irish people everywhere with something to feel good about. The significance of her achievement can’t be exaggerated at a time when the whole country needs a boost.

The upbeat response to yesterday’s silver medal-winning victory reflects the importance of sport in a sports-mad nation. And inevitably, her remarkable success, coupled with the marvellous accomplishments of other members of the Irish boxing team, including Paddy Barnes’s victory last night, plus Cian O’Connor’s bronze medal performance in show jumping, will fuel debate on why Ireland has done so badly in some events.

No Irish team was ever so well prepared. Never before were the athletes in green buoyed by so many enthusiastic supporters. Nor have they ever been better financed. And yet, sadly, a chasm exists between the medal-winning feats of five Irish competitors, four of them boxers, compared with the lacklustre performance of many of our athletes in the track and field arena.

There should be no question of a witch-hunt against any individual athlete or the team as a unit. By qualifying for the Games, they have already proved their worth. But merely getting to London should not be the only objective for the cream of Irish athletics. Those who turned in a personal best have reason to be proud.

Like the members of Team GB, our boxers have shown that it’s all about winning and medals. The amount a country puts into the Games can be measured in terms of payback. Like Bray, Britain has been reinvigorated. Moreover, the British economy has been given a stimulus and London is reinstated on the global map.

Besides investing money in athletics, it is vital that a country set clear objectives in a targeted way. A mentality of simply aiming to improve overall team performance in future games is bound to fall short of the target. There must be consistent and focused programmes of excellence to hone the skills and abilities of chosen athletes.

As host nation, Britain has gained automatic qualification across a range of events but psychologically they went way beyond that by competing in all 26 sports. Through targeting some obscure events, Britain achieved unprecedented success, outstripping its performance at the Beijing 2008 Olympics, surpassing its medals target and emerging as a powerful force to be reckoned with on the international stage.

No comparison can be drawn between Ireland and Britain either in terms of finance or the relative population base that throws up athletes. However, this is not to imply that small nations can’t compete. Nor does it explain why countries of similar size and population to Ireland have done so much better. That question requires hard analysis and honest answers.

The psychology of self-belief has always been an important element of the Katie Taylor story. Ever since childhood she has been motivated by a dream of going to the top. When she steps into the ring today for the Olympic final, the hopes, prayers, and aspirations of the nation will be with her. But no matter what the outcome, she has already given the Irish people reason to feel proud and moments to savour. Good luck, Katie.