A hero’s return for Katie

WE know that Katie Taylor is not strictly a Southsider but it would be amiss of us here at Southside People not to mention the amazing achievements of the Bray boxer at the London Olympics last Wednesday.

As the entire country is well aware, the 26-year-old entered the history books following her win against Russia’s Sofya Ochigava at the first-ever women’s Olympic Lightweight boxing final in the ExCel stadium.

The support for the fighter was one of the highlights of the occasion as the Irish crowd lifted the lid off the stadium when she stepped into the ring.

All across the country people came out to support Katie in her bid to become an Olympic champion, no more obviously than in Bray, where she is from.

Thousands gathered to shout and scream at the big screens erected to show the fight and when she was declared winner the town erupted.

As the praise flooded in from all the usual quarters including ministers and various other politicians it was joined by stars from the Hollywood hills to the BBC studios back in London.

No less a star than actor Samuel Jackson tweeted:

‘All of IRELAND Raise A Pint for Katie Taylor’s Gold Medal Russian beatdown!!’

BBC commentator Phillip Schofield added:

‘Congratulations also to Katie Taylor of Ireland. Amazing’.

Minister of State Michael Ring said the atmosphere was

“simply electric

? in the arena.

President Michael D Higgins described her win as a magnificent victory that had lifted the spirit of the nation.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny said Katie was not only an Olympic champion, but also a force of nature, whose pioneering spirit and boxing brilliance has seen her realise her personal dream of winning Olympic gold.

As Ireland’s other boxers prepared for their own bid at Olympic glory on Friday, Bray Town Council was busy organising an open top bus parade and a fireworks display for Katie in her hometown to mark her achievements.

Meanwhile, Annalise Murphy, from Rathfarnham, was already putting her London disappointment behind her to focus on winning gold at the next Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

The Laser Radial sailor, who started her sailing career in Dun Laoghaire, was just edged out of the medals at the Weymouth Olympic sailing venue and had to settle for fourth place.