'Medals are great, but there is much more to life'

In nan not excessively distant past, location was cipher who wanted a golden badge much than Michaela Walsh.

At nan Tokyo Olympics, and nan 2014 and 2018 Commonwealth Games, location was pridefulness that she gave it everything, but you could besides consciousness nan heartbreak.

After 2 Commonwealth Games of opinionated connected nan 2nd measurement of nan podium, Walsh sewage her infinitesimal erstwhile she won golden successful Birmingham successful 2022.

It had been a agelong clip coming, and while Walsh says it "meant a lot" to triumph gold, she adds "I wasn't only location for that".

"If I'm being honorable it wasn't really astir winning nan golden medal," nan 31-year-old said.

"Maybe erstwhile I was younger it was astir that, but erstwhile I went to those Games it wasn't.

"People said to maine that I had 2 silvers and had to get nan gold, but I didn't look astatine it for illustration that.

"I really enjoyed nan lead up to it and wanted to bask nan experience, and because I went into nan title for illustration that I deliberation it is why I won nan golden medal."

Heading to Paris, nan Belfast boxer knows she will beryllium successful contention for golden if she performs astatine her best.

But again, nan Olympics intends truthful overmuch much than conscionable a medal.

"I've ever wanted to beryllium an Olympic medallist. That's what I'm going to spell into Paris and purpose for.

"But you tin beryllium a badge winner, but really are you making group consciousness aliases really are you inspiring nan adjacent generation?

"I deliberation that says a batch much astir nan person. I for illustration to deliberation I'm a bully person.

"Having that bequest and pathway for younger group to look at, it's not ever astir nan medal."

Walsh exited successful nan last-16 of her first Olympics astatine nan delayed 2020 Games successful Tokyo, which took spot without her friends and family - barroom relative Aidan, who was besides competing - owed to nan lingering Covid restrictions successful Japan.

She admits nan upcoming Games will beryllium a "whole caller experience" and she will "really effort to savour and bask it".

Walsh feels she has learned "not to attraction excessively overmuch connected chasing a medal" and she has developed not only arsenic a combatant since Tokyo, but arsenic a personification too.

"I'll conscionable effort and beryllium successful nan infinitesimal because not everyone gets to spell to an Olympic Games erstwhile successful their life, ne'er mind twice.

"I cognize I person an expertise to triumph a medal, but I'm not putting immoderate much unit connected myself.

"The older you get nan much you study astir yourself. Boxing is conscionable a sport. It's important to retrieve that arsenic well."

Walsh booked her summons to Paris successful June 2023 successful nan European Games successful Krakow, wherever she claimed a bronze medal.

While galore of her team-mates had to hold until outpouring to qualify, Walsh says that having nan other clip to hole for nan Olympics has allowed her to attraction connected wherever she needs to improve, alternatively than looking towards her adjacent bout.

"You're ever trying to improve, moreover if it is conscionable 1% a day. Even if that's successful your betterment and nutrition and being capable to activity connected things.

"When you are going to tournaments you are ever moving connected nan things you do best, but I've been capable to walk a spot of clip successful nan ringing moving connected immoderate flaws.

"It's been bully to person that twelvemonth to activity connected definite things and being capable to bring that into Paris is very exciting."

Another logic for Walsh's renewed position is nan travel that Aidan, 4 years Michaela's junior, has been connected pinch his intelligence health.

There are fewer siblings person successful athletics than Michaela and Aidan, who took 14 months distant from nan sport.

They are each other's biggest supporters.

"Aidan speaking astir it was so, truthful courageous," Michaela said.

"Boxing is only a mini part, it's not who you are. Everyone struggles successful different ways but it is important to talk to group and get nan thief you need.

"We're fortunate capable to person awesome family and awesome partners and a awesome team".

Michaela has not been immune to immoderate individual struggles, and she is "in a amended place" for seeking help.

"I cognize astatine times I've needed help, asked for thief and sewage what I needed.

"I deliberation conscionable being brave capable to guidelines up and say, 'listen, I'm conscionable a normal personification and I do request a spot of help'. It's very brave."

While Michaela had qualified a twelvemonth successful advance, Aidan, who made a last-ditch determination to effort and suffice for nan Olympics, clinched nan last remaining Paris spot successful nan light-middleweight section astatine nan concluding qualifier successful Bangkok successful early June to scope nan Games.

She admits it was "nerve-wracking" waiting to spot if he would qualify, but he is "one of nan astir talented group I've ever seen".

"People deliberation I'm biased because I'm his sister, but conscionable nan worldly I spot him do time in, time out. The talent he has is phenomenal.

"I didn't really want to beryllium going without him. To beryllium capable to person him pinch maine is thing special."