Olympic gold - Katie, you’ve done us proud

What a difference four two-minute rounds — and more than two decades of work — make.

At 4.45pm yesterday this was a rain-sodden country in administration, but by the time Katie Taylor had realised her lifetime’s ambition the sun was shining again, metaphorically at least.

The Bray woman’s gold medal may not resolve our great difficulties but the great sense of real achievement, first clearly stated many years ago, is something we can all celebrate.

At a time when so much seems impossible, Katie proved, as the ad says, impossible is nothing.

At a moment when so many of our teams struggle on the international stage Katie proved that belief, courage, work, and skill can overcome almost anything.

For that, and an Olympic campaign fraught with tension and excitement, we are in her debt. For inspiring us, and her fellow athletes in London still competing, we owe her more than we can repay.