By Ireland’s Kellie Harrington secured gold in the women’s 60kg boxing final at the Paris 2024 Olympics, defeating China’s Yang Wenlu by split decision. In contrast, Team GB’s Lewis Richardson was edged out of the men’s 71kg final by Mexico’s Marco Verde, leaving him with a bronze medal.
Harrington, now a double Olympic champion, triumphed at Roland Garros after a strategic and resilient performance. After a cautious start, Yang appeared to gain control, but Harrington regained her footing, landing significant body shots before the first round ended. In the second round, despite a strong punch to the nose from Yang, Harrington’s heavy body shots maintained her dominance. The final round saw Harrington secure her victory with quick jabs, marking Ireland’s fourth gold medal of the Games.
In an earlier match, Richardson faced a tough semi-final against Verde. Although he started strong with a solid punch to Verde’s face, the Mexican boxer quickly adapted, breaking through Richardson’s defenses with varied combinations. Richardson’s impressive uppercuts and head blows in the second round kept the contest even. However, the decisive third round saw all five judges favor Verde, ending Richardson’s hopes of reaching the final. Despite the loss, Richardson was the only British boxer to medal at Paris 2024.
Reflecting on his bronze medal, Richardson expressed mixed emotions. “It’s very raw and hard to process right now,” he said. “I’ve won that bronze medal, but it’s hard to fully celebrate because you’re moving onto the next one and looking to change the color of that medal. I hope I’ve made the country proud.”
Verde will compete against Uzbekistan’s Asadkhuja Muydinkhujaev for the gold medal later this week.
