Sutherland's fight for university place 'an example to all'

Boxer Darren Sutherland was a role model to children by returning to the classroom to get into university, it was claimed tonight.

Donning a school uniform the young fighter went to St Peter’s College in Dunboyne, Co Meath, at age 20 to pass his Leaving Certificate, before securing a scholarship to Dublin City University.

Maureen Murray, St Peter’s vice-principal, said Darren was a dedicated student who worked hard.

“I have to say he cut a great figure in the uniform, he was always extremely smart and extremely well turned out,” Ms Murray said.

“He was essentially a role model for an awful lot of the children who looked at him and saw here is a guy, he’s coming back in, he’s much older than us, but yet he’s doing everything that’s expected of him.”

Ms Murray said he was a popular figure with pupils, helping out at various school discos.

Darren clinched his Leaving Certificate and was awarded a sports scholarship to DCU in north Dublin in 2003 to study Sports Science and Health.

Despite putting his degree on hold when he turned professional the young fighter was on track to come out with top marks.

His lecturer John Kerrane, who teaches sociology of sport, said the 27-year-old was as dedicated and focused on his studies as his sporting life.

“He was an excellent student, a first class honours student. He brought an outstanding focus and when he was doing something he gave it 100%, and he certainly brought that to his study,” Mr Kerrane said.

“He had outstanding potential as a student. Once he focused on it, there would be no barriers to him.”

To help balance the demands of his college work and training, the university allowed him to carry out his second year over two years as he prepared for the Beijing Olympics.

But although he secured top marks in his second year Mr Kerrane said Darren felt frustrated juggling sport and studies as he couldn’t devote all his time to both.

“He was so ambitious in both that he found it quite frustrating not to be able to give 100% to both,” Mr Kerrane said.

“That’s the type of personality he was.”

To help balance the pressures of academia and sport he would turn to his DCU mentor Dr Giles Warrington, a sport and exercise physiologist.

“He was an incredibly outward going confident guy, but he was also a very private individual,” Dr Warrington said.

“Everybody always saw this very public side of him, but he was a very reserved private person as well.”

Dr Warrington said he was articulate and driven and recalled another lecturer once said: “If this guy can box as well as he can talk, he’s going to be a world champion.”

“Irrespective of Darren, for a lot of students just following an undergraduate degree is tough enough, let alone trying to fulfil a full-time boxing career,” the top physiologist said.

“This guy, at times I’m sure he was frustrated, but he did this with aplomb.”