Believe it or not, Kellie Harrington is happy to see us.
The last few days have been full of questions about the dress, the cake, the hair and the shoes -
Oh my God, the shoes - but, on the back of her wedding to long-term girlfriend Mandy Loughlin, that's the last thing Kellie wants to talk about. Her family and closest friends were there, the dogs behaved themselves and for this boxer, that's all that matters.
That's why she's glad, hard as it is to believe, to be see us. A group full of sports journalists who, sitting in front of her on a computer screen, look like we wouldn't know a Jimmy Choo from a spicy saag aloo.
"We had the best day ever," says the 32-year-old Spar ambassador and Olympic champion.
"We got great weather and all our closest friends and family were there and it couldn't have went any better. Didn't they look great," she says of the three dogs, "They behaved themselves and it wouldn't be as special if we didn't have them with us. They're part of the family."
"Apart from that, I'll keep it private. I'll enjoy this though, a chat about sport!"
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Because that's her bread and butter. Between the wedding, the Olympic gold and moving into a new home in Fairview, Kellie has had plenty of reasons to be sidestracked but despite all that, she's kept her feet on the ground and her eyes on the ball. She was delighted, and visibly so, to win the Strandja international cup in Bulgaria recently and, with the World Championships coming up in Turkey next month, she's hardly had the feet up either.
"I'm always emotional when I win. And when I lose. But you just don't generally see the tears when I win, because the media are only all over you when you win," she laughs of her win in Bulgaria," she said at the launch of the Spar Community Road trip.
"I'm not saying that I'm not exhausted but I've kept training. I've been eating all around me, I've been enjoying all my grub but I've toned it down a bit this week with the food and just then focus, focus on focus."
"I know that I am the woman to beat," Harrington says of the World Championships.
"I know that the target is on my back but, and I know it might sound crazy, but I do just see myself as a contender and while the world championships are massive, it's preparation for next year when the qualification system starts next year for Paris. What will happen will happen. What will be will be."
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And one thing you can bank on is that none of it will faze her.
"Everyone's saying that, that I'm a good singer, but I still haven't had a phone-call or an email for Louis Walsh," she said of her recent appearance on the Late Late Show, when she sang Grace.
"No I just enjoy singing. I'm not the best in the world but I always find, and I know it's really strange, but I find that if you can get up and sing in front of a crowd or in front of people that you know - it's a really hard thing to do.
"But it will help you when you're going to the ring. I know that's a mad way to be looking at. But I always think, if I can do that in front of those people, I won't be as nervous going to the ring."
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At the launch of SPAR Community Road Trip is SPAR ambassador and Olympic boxing champion Kellie Harrington. SPAR and Kellie are inviting all community groups nationwide to apply for €10,000 in funding and a chance to spend time with Kellie as she tours Ireland on the SPAR Community Road Trip. Applications will open on Wednesday, 20th April, and will remain open for a period of four weeks until Friday, 20th May, find out more about the SPAR Community Road Trip at www.spar.ie. Photo by Brendan Moran/Sportsfile[/caption]
