Golden opportunity for KO queen Katie

KATIE TAYLOR was last night being celebrated as an Olympic champion despite the fact that she has not yet participated in the Olympic Games.

She was been lauded around the world for the role she had played after the executive committee of the IOC had voted to accept women’s boxing as an Olympic sport for London 2012. Four divisions will be included on the programme.

“I am very proud today, it has been a great day for Irish Olympism,” Pat Hickey, who is also president of the grouping of European Olympic Committees, said. “Katie Taylor is such a fantastic athlete. I am so proud of her. The country is so proud of her. A soccer international, a world champion in boxing and I know the dilemma she had, whereby she did not know whether to go pro if she was not in London or give up or whatever. I know her whole dream and aspiration was London 2012. Now she has it.”