'Every day you question yourself' - Mayo amateur boxer opens up about everyday struggles

SHE is one of Ireland’s brightest amateur boxing talents, training at elite level and representing her country on the international stage. Last year, Mayo woman Shannon Sweeney won the European gold medal.

In our big end-of-the-year interview, the Westport woman speaks about the intense routine, the mental battles, and her dream of reaching the Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

David Rischke: How would you describe what being an elite amateur boxer involves?
Shannon Sweeney: At elite standard, we train twice a day, five days a week—often six—and sometimes even three sessions a day. From the outside, people might think you just go in, train, and leave again. But there are so many other factors: mental and physical resilience, and battles behind closed doors that people don’t see. Training and showing up can actually be the easy part—it’s what goes on in your head that’s the challenge.

DR: What kind of challenges?
SS: Boxing isn’t all smooth sailing. You have your highs and your lows—the wins and the losses. The highs are amazing, but the lows can be really difficult. When you’re winning, people say, “She’s doing great things.” But when you’re at your lowest, not everyone reaches out, so you learn who’s really in your corner.
Coming back from the European Championships, after winning gold, I felt a bit of pressure. You’re expected to do well every time. It’s great being at the top, but it brings its own demands. You want to be your best version every day, but that’s not always possible. Training can be lonely—there’s the physical battles, the mental battles, the weight cut, and the financial difficulties. It’s a full circle of challenges.

DR: You’ve got the National Elites coming up in January. How does that affect your Christmas?
SS: It’s not a normal Christmas for me. I’ll be making weight, so no big dinner or desserts, but I’m fine with that.
The National Elites are our biggest competition of the year. It’s where the number one and number two spots are decided. From there, you can qualify for major tournaments, Boxing Cups, Europeans, Worlds, and that’s how you earn funding. I’m in that position now, so every Nationals, you have to be at your best.

DR: Is it difficult to stay motivated every day?
SS: Some days, yes. Today was one of those days. I didn’t feel like going to training, but I still went. It’s about showing up. Not every day will be perfect. People might look at me and think I’m always happy and love training, but that’s not always the case.
It becomes a lifestyle. You make sacrifices, family time, dinners out, even Christmas. You can’t live a party lifestyle and still expect elite results. For me, I’m a perfectionist, always striving to be better. I’ve cut people out, missed family events, but I’ll keep doing it if that gets me closer to LA.

DR: Do self-doubts come up often in training or competition?
SS: Definitely. It’s the mind that matters. Every day you question yourself: Am I good enough? Why am I doing this instead of spending time with family? The people in the sport get it. The fear of losing or letting others down is real.
And there’s the financial pressure. Securing funding for the next year hangs over every fight. The only way to guarantee that funding is by winning major medals. That’s pressure in itself.

DR: Some people might assume athletes train a few hours and have the rest of the day free. What’s your reality?
SS: Some people might think that. But the sport is very demanding. If you train in the morning, recovery and fuelling are just as important before the second session.
To be elite, you have to train like it and live like it. If you take shortcuts, it catches up eventually—you’re only fooling yourself.

DR: The weight aspect sounds tough. How do you handle that?
SS: It requires professionalism—being on your weight, having structure, not eating takeaways. The mental battle with weight is huge. You wear sweatsuits, deprive yourself of water and food before fights. It’s not 100 percent healthy, but it’s part of what we do.
Leading up to fights, you need discipline—eating right, sticking to a routine. The ones who do it right are the ones who go far.

DR: Have you ever felt so worn down you thought about quitting?
SS: There are days I’ve felt like giving up, wondering if it’s all worth it. Sometimes you lose the enjoyment and have to remind yourself why you started.
For me, it’s about going back to what made me love boxing. There’s that question—have I achieved what I wanted? This year I was number two, and that was tough to take.
A lot of people know me as Shannon Sweeney the boxer—that’s my identity. So, to imagine life without boxing is hard. I will retire someday, but for now, my sights are on LA. My sponsors, family, and community keep me going.

DR: How did it all begin for you?
SS: I started for fitness. My brother boxed when he was younger—he’s passed away now, sadly. For me, it kept me on the right path and out of trouble.
I joined with my siblings and just fell in love with boxing—the grit, the dedication, the discipline. A few years later, I’m a European Champion and part of the Irish High Performance Team. I’m very grateful for what the sport has given me.

DR: I remember your European gold in Belgrade, people at your home club, St Anne's in Westport, were in tears watching. 
SS: It was one of the proudest moments of my career. But it also brought pressure, constantly having to prove yourself. I’ve learned it’s okay not to be at your best all the time.
From the outside, people think everything’s perfect, but it’s not. I’m still learning to balance boxing with family and life.

DR: Hopefully there’ll be more moments like this to come—maybe a homecoming from LA!
SS: (smiles) Yes, hopefully!

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