Michael Carruth won the gold medal in the welterweight boxing at the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games – one of the most celebrated achievements in the history of Irish sport.

His Olympic journey began at the 1988 Seoul Games, where he lost to Sweden’s George Cramne in the second round in what proved to be a defining apprenticeship.

Born on 9 July 1967 in Greenhills, Dublin, the youngest of triplet boys born to Austin and Joan Carruth, he was the national lightweight champion of 1987 and 1988 and had competed in a pre-Olympic tournament in Korea before Seoul. Despite this, Seoul proved challenging with Carruth resolving to move to welterweight afterwards.

Four years of meticulous preparation followed. Cramne went on to win the Seoul silver medal; Carruth returned to Barcelona 1992 and won gold.