Ireland's Aidan Walsh suffered a disappointing result in his 2024 Olympics opener this morning, with the Belfast man coming out on the wrong end of a split decision against France's Makan Traore in their 71kg bout in Paris.
It was an incredibly close fight, one in which Walsh had the better of the opening round. However, Traore responded well from that point onwards, and once the Irishman had a point deducted for holding, it was always likely that he was going to come up just short.
While this was sure to be a tough result to take for the Olympic bronze medalist in Tokyo, he is not going to beat himself up over the defeat.
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Aidan Walsh Gave Remarkable Interview On RTÉ After Olympics Loss
Aidan Walsh has gone on a remarkable journey over the last couple of years. Having won Olympic bronze three years ago, he would later take 14 months away from boxing in order to focus on his mental health.
He only returned to the sport a few months before the games in Paris, going on to qualify for the Olympics at the final attempt.
While his return to the games was brought to an end at the first hurdle, he is nothing but thrilled to have even made it to that stage once again.
During an emotional interview with RTÉ, he explained that after all he has gone through in recent years, this result will not be allowed to define him moving forward.
Plenty of perspective from Aidan Walsh in the wake of his defeat to Makan Traore in his 71kg fight. #RTESport #Paris2024
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There is no commiserations at all. I'm winning at life, I'm happy to be here. I'm happy to be competing, it's an absolute privilege.
I think everybody knows my journey over the last two years. To be here is a miracle for me, it's just an absolute privilege. Regardless of win, lose, or draw, it is what it is.
I'm healthy, I'm happy, I've good people around me. The fight doesn't reduce what I've achieved in my career. I just want to say thank you for all the support I received at home, I've probably let a few people down...
He was a great opponent. You can't take anything away from anyone, to get to the Olympics you've got to be a good boxer. Listen, you need a bit of luck in your career, I got plenty of lucky in my career. Today just wasn't my day...
My medals in sport and boxing, they don't mean much to me. My mental health and the people around me mean the most in my life. It's a privilege...
I have a lot of good things in my life, things I didn't have four years ago, a lot of good people.
Well said.
Aidan Walsh has had a career that most amateur boxers can only dream of, winning gold and silver in the Commonwealth Games to go along with the bronze he claimed in the Olympics.
While it remains to be seen what his next steps in the sport will be, to even make it Paris was a remarkable achievement in itself.
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