Olympic champion Kellie Harrington made a winning return to domestic action in the lightweight division of the 2026 Elite Irish championships this afternoon.
The 36-year-old showed little signs of ring rustiness in defeating Tramore fighter Zara Breslin 5-0 in her semi final.
Harrington had not boxed competitively since her Olympic final win against Yang Wenlu of China in Aug 2024.
Boxing out of her club, St Mary's Tallaght, Harrington got the decision from all five judges ringside, having dominated her opponent from the opening bell.
It sets up an all Kellie final in the lightweight division. 2025 champion Kellie McLoughlin of St. Catherine's in Dublin defeated Ulster champion Ella McDonald, also on a 5-0 scoreline in the second of the semifinals.
Harrington's clubmate Grainne Walsh, a bronze medalist at the 2025 World Championship advanced to next weekend's final in the 65kg division.
Walsh was tested by the rapidly improving U23 champion Ava Henry, a bronze medal winner herself at the recent underage European finals in Budapest. But the Tullamore welterweight was deemed the winner on a 4-1 scoreline at the end of the three round contest.
The second semi-final went the way of Rylane boxer Linda Desmond from Cork. She scored a unanimous decision win over Kaci Rock from the Holy Trinity in Belfast.
Also on the card, Clepson dos Santos of Holy Trinity defeated Spartans Ballyclare's Scott Thompson and will now challenge for honours at 55kg against Olympic Mullingar's Patsy Joyce next Saturday.
Louis Rooney of Star Belfast defeated Ricky Nesbitt of Holy Trinity at 50kg and will face Sean Mari of Monkstown in the decider.
Mari, on the comeback trail following a length injury lay-off, defeated Antonio Bozkaya of South Meath .
Meanwhile Michaela Walsh of Holy Family GG Belfast will take on Sarah Cunningham of O'Rourke’s Dublin for a potential 14th Elite title on 17 January. Both were unanimous decision winners today over respective opponents Niamh Fayand Keelyn Mangan.
A dominant return to competitive boxing for double Olympic champion Kellie Harrington who books her place in the elite final of the National Boxing Championships with a 5-0 victory over Zara Breslin pic.twitter.com/Syc3tpgUKF
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) January 10, 2026
