KELLIE HARRINGTON HAS defended her Olympic 60kg boxing title at Roland Garros, beating China’s Yang Wenlu on a 4-1 split decision to seal Ireland’s fourth Olympic gold medal at this summer’s Paris Games.

Harrington is the first Irish boxer ever to defend their Olympic crown and just the third Irish Olympic entrant ever — after Pat O’Callaghan in the hammer throw (1928 and 1932) and Paul O’Donovan and Fintan McCarthy (2021 and 2024) — to claim gold at back-to-back Games.

In a high-end boxing chess match, Harrington won the first two rounds to a sufficient extent that she led 20-18 x3/19-19 x2 heading into the third — an unassailable advantage unless Yang could conjure something spectacular.

Harrington subsequently defended from behind her guard in the final verse, absorbing Yang’s desperate efforts and countering the Asian champion to some success.

Though Yang won the last round on four of the five judges’ cards, Harrington had already done the damage in Rounds 1 and 2. Four of the judges saw the bout in the Irishwoman’s favour on scores of 29-28, while the other sided with Yang.

Cheered on by a massive Irish crowd at the 15,225-capacity Stade Roland Garros tennis stadium, Harrington danced for joy around the ring after being crowned Olympic champion for a second time.

“It just gives hope,” Harrington told RTÉ in the immediate aftermath of her historic victory.

“See all these young kids, all these teenagers? It just gives hope to them. It gives hope to the people of Ireland: that’s what it means.

“But this one was for me!”

Harrington then indicated that she is set to step away from the sport after reaching the pinnacle of a career which has consisted of two Olympic titles, a world title, and two European golds among a plethora of other major international medals.

“It’s the last hurrah. I’m done. I’ve always said I want to retire a champion. That’s it!

“Bob’s your uncle, Fanny’s your aunt; good night, Irene!”

Against the taller, rangier Yang, who beat Harrington in her first World Championship final in 2016, the Dubliner began on the front foot but neither boxer was especially willing to gamble.

It was Harrington who eventually opened up, launching the occasional raid to body and head before stepping back out of range as Yang attempted to counter with looping right hands.

The final exchange of a tense round was won decidedly by Harrington who, from a southpaw stance, landed a couple of big overhand lefts to Yang’s head, taking one right hand in return, just before the bell sounded. Harrington put herself in a commanding position with a 4-1 lead.

Harrington made an even better start to the second round, pinging Yang upstairs with her right hand from an orthodox stance as well as her jab. Yang, down on four cards, needed to press the issue and enjoyed more success than she had in the first, connecting with a couple of one-twos at centre-ring.

The best shot of the round, though, was again Harrington’s, as she landed a thudding overhand right to Yang’s jaw which brought a great noise out of the crowd in Roland Garros.

Harrington again took a tense round 4-1, leaving her with a two-round lead on three scorecards. Harrington was effectively home and hosed barring disaster in the last.

She avoided it carefully, taking fewer chances and throwing fewer shots, absorbing more to her arms and shoulders than she had in the first two. Attempting to lure Yang into mistakes with her feint, the Irishwoman rarely cut loose but still stalked forward and enjoyed the occasional exchange with the excellent Yang.

Harrington lost the round 4-1 but won the fight 4-1 to become the back-to-back Olympic champion at 60kg.