'Done, dusted': Kellie Harrington unsure about future as she confirms retirement

Kellie Harrington of Team Ireland celebrates with coaches Zaur Antia and Damian Kennedy after defeating Wenlu Yang of Team People's Republic of China. Picture: Sportsfile

Kellie Harrington has said she is "done and dusted" with boxing after she secured her second Olympic gold medal in Paris.

Ms Harrington, a native of Portland Row in Dublin, became only the fourth Irish athlete to retain an Olympic title when she defeated Wenlu Yang of China on Tuesday night in Roland Garros. In the immediate aftermath of the fight, she said that the fight was "the last one."

Speaking to Morning Ireland on Thursday, she reaffirmed that she was hanging up her gloves. "I know now — done, dusted and what a way to go out."

"The fact that I know that I am now done, and the fact that I am finishing this way [is great], because a lot of the time people don't know when to finish, and I'm happy that I am making that decision to finish it this way, my way, and go out as a double Olympic champion."

Ms Harrington said she had "nothing more to prove."

When asked what the future held, she said she didn't know, as her part-time cleaning job in St Vincent’s Psychiatric Hospital in Fairview could be at risk. She explained: "They are knocking that hospital down bit by bit so who knows?

"I’ve only started to think of that (post-retirement life) in the last two hours. I’m relieved to be done with the scales but I’ll always train because I believe that training helps me with my mental health, helps me to release those good endorphins and to feel good about myself.

"I’ll be hanging around the Sport [Ireland] institute, they are not going to get rid of me that easy.

I feel like I have a lot of stuff that I can pass on to other athletes, so I want to do that.

Ms Harrington said that the days after the fight had her "like a zombie walking around the Olympic village".

She had taken an anti-doping test — which she stressed was "absolutely vital" — before going to a McDonalds at 2am on Wednesday.

"It was like a meet and greet, there were loads of French people but it was really great."

She added that her phone had been "hopping" since the fight. She explained: "There are so many people and I’ll be forever grateful for all the support, from at home and from people out here as well. It’s actually a bit overwhelming as well."