THE PARENTS OF Olympic champion Kellie Harrington said they were “super” proud as they celebrated “two golds for the north inner city” with neighbours and friends in Dublin.
Harrington cruised through the women’s 60kg final against Wenlu Yang to retain her Olympic title and take home Ireland’s fourth gold medal at the Paris games.
With tricolours draped around their shoulders, her parents Yvonne and Christy celebrated her win by singing Grace on the steps of their terraced red-brick home on Portland Row.
“I can tell you, nothing will change. Kellie will be the person she always was and always will be. Because she comes from a humble family, a humble community,” her mother said.
Emphasising Harrington’s working-class background, her father Christy said her win was “all about” the community of Portland Row, and that it “brings us all together”.
The success makes Harrington Ireland’s most decorated female Olympian and the only Irish boxer to contest and win back-to-back Olympic finals.
Up the road from the family home, a small Dublin park erupted with pride after Harrington clinched another gold. Children wore Ireland football jerseys, tied their hair up with green, white and orange ribbons, and had shamrocks painted on their faces.
Ellie May Fetherston, 12, from Blanchardstown, said she took up boxing after Harrington won gold in the Tokyo Games. She told the PA news agency she admires Harrington’s ability to switch boxing styles during bouts.
Children crowded in front of the big screen in Diamond Park and punched the air as the boxer weaved and jabbed in the ring at the Roland-Garros tennis stadium in front of an audience of 15,000.
Locals praised Harrington’s work in the local community, putting on sports fun days for children and working as a carer.
Gillian Collins said the fighter was bringing a positive focus on the north inner city: “When people stop her on the street she stops for a chat. She high fives all the kids, they love her.”
Patricia Byrne, from Portland Row, also said Harrington is great for Dublin’s inner city.
“She’s made us all proud. It brings everybody together,” she said. “She’s real down to earth. Never changed.”
Asked about whether Portland Row would put on another big homecoming for Harrington, Byrne said this one would be “better and bigger”.
Local man Joe Dowland said the gold-medal fight was “fantastic”.
“She wouldn’t let us down. That’s two golds for the north east inner city. Where would you see it? Look at the crowd here tonight? Unbelievable.
Councillor Christy Burke, a former Dublin mayor, said Harrington “brings the community together” and represents “no ego”.
“Humility oozes out of her. She’s one of our own,” he said.
“At the end of the day, it won’t be long now before you see the shakes she throws coming out, that’s going to be known as the Kellie dance. And maybe 7 August next year should be a bank holiday in honour of Kellie Harrington.”
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