London Olympics:Katie Taylor wins Ireland's first gold medal

09/08/2012

London:Stung perhaps by the sour pre-fight accusation of her Russian opponent that she was "just another boxer", Katie Taylor exacted measured revenge over eight minutes in the lightweight final to deliver Ireland her first but maybe not only gold medal of these Olympics.

There are Paddy Barnes, John Joe Nevin and Michael Conlan to come, and they were as ecstatic as every other Irish supporter among the 16,000 fans who filled this arena with Fields of Athenry, that misleadingly rousing lament, when Taylor was announced a 10-8 winner over Sofya Ochigava.

Proving Ochigava wrong surely made victory all the sweeter, and, while Taylor is not one for gloating, relief, exultation and maybe just a little self-satisfaction mingled on her handsome features as she accepted the plaudits – even of the Russian, in the end.

Later, she settled the rumours that she would accede to the wishes of her father and trainer, Peter, and quit boxing to return to football – and maybe even listen to the offers of several clubs, including Arsenal.

"No," she said, "I know my father would like me to retire from boxing but I am going to box on, either in the amateurs or professional, I don't know yet. But I want to carry on, at 26."

Her father had said before the final: "She's got a good few teams interested in her at the moment, but she's got to get back playing. We'll stay away from boxing for a couple of months anyway. She needs to regenerate now because she has had a tough career, over 140 fights now I think and all senior fights, all international fights. They just take a lot out of you at the end of the day."

So there is one fight she's won already. Thursday night's contest was tough from start to finish, but Taylor deserved the verdict. Judges ruled the first round even at two points apiece, failing, perhaps, to see the crunching right cross on the bell that sent the Russian's head into a minor tailspin.

Taylor had clearly gone for the power option in round two and left a chilling hook on her opponent's jaw as a calling card but, inexplicably, the officials reckoned she landed just a single blow of significance and Ochigava led 3-2. This was appallingly low punch-recognition, even in a bout where both boxers were waiting for openings.

Ochigava's shoelace came undone towards the end of the third round, and so did her lead. The roars from the arena were deafening when the score went up: 7-5 to Ireland – that's all of Ireland, not just their representative in the ring. No Irish athlete walks alone.

Stung by the deficit, the Russian threw herself into the assaults in the fourth, but Taylor kept her boxing together.

Ochigava ignored her when the bell went, no doubt imagining she would again be the victim of perceived bias. It was close, no more than so many contests in this tournament, but she was no victim. The officials judged they had shared the final session 3-all, and that was enough to give Taylor the win.

Ochigava, was understandably disappointed but, after cajoling by her corner, went across the ring to congratulate the best boxer there has ever been in the women's game.

Ireland loves its heroes, usually unreservedly, from Sonia O'Sullivan, the chef de mission here who reminded us all on Thursday night that winning one gold is tough, two much tougher, through to the likes of Roy Keane and Brian O'Driscoll.

With all due respect to that fine lineup, Katie Taylor would probably win any straw poll of popularity in Ireland right now – and for a little while to come.