Katie Taylor’s long road to London came to fuition in China today. She received a walkover after her quarter-final opponent at the AIBA World Women’s Championships pulled out of the bout with an injury..
When one of the other four European boxers in the last eight lost their bouts, the 25-year-old knew she had achieved her dream of representing Ireland at the London Games.
Taylor made it to the ring for her last eight bout before news came through that her Romanian opponent Mihaela Lacatus had pulled out due a neck injury.
The Irish lightweight stayed ringside and when a French boxer lost to one from Tajikistan, Taylor knew she had claimed one of the three spots available to European boxers at her weight.
With the pressure of Olympic qualification now off her shoulders, Taylor will look to go on and claim a fourth World title following victories in 2006, 2008 and 2010.