Look how much it means to her.
Katie Taylor’s Olympic Games are over and it is another major disappointment for an Irish boxing of whom so much was expected.
Only Michael Conlan remains in the competition after Katie Taylor was surprisingly – and controversially – dumped out of the women’s 60kg division by 35-year-old Mira Potkonen.
Disaster for #IRL as Katie Taylor is beaten in #Olympics opener #Rio2016 https://t.co/tyMBNBNdpw
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) August 15, 2016
The inquest will no doubt begin as media and fans speculate as to what is the root cause of Taylor’s defeat, and Ireland’s below-par performance as a whole.
Is it the departure of Billy Walsh the reason for this disappointing display? Has the absence of Katie Taylor’s father from her corner affected her performance? Did she use the right tactics? Did the Michael O’Reilly situation unsettle the team? Did the High Performance Unit have the squad properly prepared?
Katie Taylor's defeat at the Olympics broke everyone's heart but she'll always be a legend https://t.co/uGpHkgAfoU
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) August 15, 2016
All these are valid questions but they are questions for another day.
Regardless of the answers, the reaction for Taylor after the fight is one of the most heartbreaking interviews you’ll ever see.
She is lost for words, literally unable to speak as the enormity of what has happened sinks in.
For anyone with an ounce of competition it’s painful to watch someone as committed and dedicated to her sport as Taylor struggle so badly with what has happened.
Eventually Taylor musters the energy and the wherewithal to answers the questions but it’s a painful watch.
Katie Taylor admits it has been a very difficult year as she reflects on losing Olympic crown https://t.co/mrA7PmWJhl
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) August 15, 2016
