Ireland’s Kellie Anne Harrington advances to women’s lightweight final; Thailand’s Sudaporn Seesondee gets bronze

Kellie Harrington is into the lightweight final and guaranteed at least a silver medal after winning her semi-final bout.

The 31-year-old Irish boxer beat Thailand's Sudaporn Seesondee 3-2 in a split decision in the cagey, but tightly contest bout at the Kokugikan Arena. 

The judges scored the bout 29-28, 29-28, 28-29, 29-28, 28-29.

"I don’t really know," said Harrington on reaching the Olympic final. "I’m a little bit lost for words. I’m speechless."

But it was not an easy fight for the Irish fighter. 

In fact, she found the bout "very, very tricky". 

"To be very honest with you, like I fought Sudaporn (Seesondee) in 2018, it was a chess match then, it was a chess match today. She’s very, very tricky.

"I felt like I won each round, not by a long shot, but you need to do what you need to do and I won each round just by winning each round."

As the loser of the semi-final, Seesondee gets a bronze.

"I’m happy that I can finally follow my dream. I’m proud of myself," the Thai boxer said.

Harrington is looking to emulate her compatriot Katie Taylor, who won the first-ever women’s Olympic lightweight title at the Olympic Games in London in 2012.

All that stands between her and the Olympic gold is Brazil’s Beatriz Ferreira. 

Ferreira defeated Finnish fighter Mira Potkonen in the second semi-final to set up a meeting with the Irish boxer in the women’s lightweight boxing final.