Westport boxer Nell McLaughlin sends Eagle Boxing Club soaring to new heights

YOU know you’ve made it in Westport when you’re addressing a cheering crowd from the Town Hall balcony.

Last Tuesday evening, that perch opposite The Octagon became the centre of Nell McLaughlin’s world - a world that was turned upside down seven months previously.

With a boxing glove in one hand and pencil in the other - metaphorically speaking - the teenager failed to get selected to compete at the European championships back in April.

Speaking to The Mayo News from a comfy chair near the foyer of Westport Town Hall, the world silver medalist described that as ‘one of the biggest heartbreaks’ since she first struck a punchbag aged eleven.

That didn’t stop her from wanting to box for Team Ireland at the World Youth Championships in Montenegro. But again, the answer was ‘no.’

Then, not long after she began her Leaving Cert year, McLaughlin was invited to compete as a neutral along with the rest of the country’s U-18 champions.

So she parked the books, packed the gloves and flew east with an eleven-strong Irish neutral team with a point to prove. They proved it emphatically, securing two silvers, one bronze and thirteen wins under the guidance of leading coach, Liam Brereton.

“It was definitely about proving a point,” said McLaughlin. “Even after not being selected for the Europeans I knew that I would have went out and done a decent job.”

^{Eagle BC's Nell McLaughlin took on China's Zi Bi Bao in the middleweight final at the World Youth Championship in Montenegro. (Pic: courtesy of IBA)}

Her silver success at the World Championships is all the more remarkable when you consider she hadn’t had a competitive fight for about a year beforehand.

It spoke volumes of the people around her at Eagle Boxing Club too.

“It’s kind of tough in that regard because obviously you can’t really recreate a fight but Pat (Eade) and Finbarr (Eade) and all the coaches there really do a good job of mentally getting you ready, so that when it actually does come around it’s not some big surprise,” said McLaughlin.

In Montenegro, the Westport woman boxed her way to bronze before beating Turkey’s Dilara Sak in the semi-final to set up a gold medal bout with China’s Zi Yi Bao.

China took the gold, but McLaughlin still drew joy from the well of disappointment.

“It didn’t feel as if I had won it, but it did to a degree,” she said. “Because seeing her happy kind of bounced off me. So there was no way that I could be malicious towards her in any way. It’s disappointing for me and it’s definitely something that I’ll be able to go back to the gym and work towards. I’m not done. I’ll definitely be striving for a gold again.”

Not just World or European gold, but Olympic gold. Remember, this lady is still in Leaving Cert. But the late nights, early mornings and low-key birthdays are all worth it if it gets you to the Westport Town Hall balcony.

“It's worth it in the end but you certainly have to have your head screwed on and be able to balance school as well as sport,” said McLaughlin.

“For me, sport is one of the most important things and being able to get this far, it's all been worth it in the end, even though it’s been tough.”