Sportswoman of the Year Linda Desmond: Boxing is a solo sport, you can't blame anyone but yourself

CORK boxing star Linda Desmond is The Echo Sportswoman of the Year for 2023, and the national champion was speechless when she accepted the award in front of her friends and family at the Metropole Hotel.

This caps off a sensational year for the Milstreet native that saw her become the first Cork woman to win senior and elite national boxing titles in the same season.

“It’s mad – I don’t know how to feel,” was how she tried to sum it up.

Once Desmond took a moment to gather her thoughts, she spoke of the weight of the accolade and what it means to her.

“It is massively important,” she said. “A lot of work has gone on in the club, and out on the road. A load of people of supported me and picked me up when I was falling down. 

I was only going in to do the seniors to see how that would go and to then go and do the elites and to win it, is absolutely mad.”

Desmond was up against the likes of Munster star Deirbhile Nic a Bháird, Cork camogie captain Amy O’Connor, and rowing duo Margaret Cremin and Aoife Casey for the title Sportswoman of the Year for 2023.

This added even more weight to the judge’s choice when Desmond’s name was read out.

“I found out afterwards that everyone I brought with me knew about it so it was a big shock to me, I didn’t know how to react!” she explained.

Now is all about the new season for the senior and elite national boxing champion, and the countdown is on to her return to the ring.

“Kind of June/July – it kind of varies every year so I’m not 100% sure,” Desmond looked ahead at 2024.

What this year will mean is a continuation of the work that turned her into a national champion at senior and elite level.

The decision behind that move wasn’t an easy one last year, as Desmond recalls.

“I was quaking in my boots to be honest – I didn’t know how to react,” she said.

“I was up there and I was nearly crying because I didn’t want to go in. Once I did go in I was fine. Fighting then, I just got into a rhythm. I kind of fought where I was and I started concentrating on what my coaches were saying.

“It is a massive step up. From going into underage where you are fighting people your own age, to going up to elite level where you could be fighting absolutely anyone. It is huge. 

There is massive power in the punches. It is a big step up.” 

 Desmond navigated everything that came her way, including a tense bout with her rival, Molly Rowley.

“It would probably be my senior final against Molly Rowley,” she looked back at her standout fight in 2023.

“She was very tough and it was going 50/50 until the second round, when I caught her with two big hands and she nearly went out over the ropes. It was a game-changer and then the fight stopped.” 

HECTIC

 Boxing isn’t the only sport that Desmond has excelled at during her storied career. She is a natural athlete and her track record proves it.

“I used to do camogie and football and I used to play with the lads as well so I used to do hurling and football with the lads and I used to do rugby,” she said.

“I made the Cork team for hurling, or camogie, and football and I made the Munster team for rugby. But it was hectic trying to fit everything in. In the end, I had to give up sports. I also was doing music at the time as well. I couldn’t find the time for everything so I had to pick the one sport.

“I also made the Irish team for it. I found it and focused on it. Our teams would be small enough anyway. It is different when you are playing team sport. It is a team effort. 

Boxing is a solo sport. You can’t blame anyone but only yourself if you lose.” 

 Right now, Desmond is looking forward and thinking about what’s going to happen over the next couple of months.

“I have the U22s coming up in July so hopefully I will go for that and I have the elites in November,” she said.

“Hopefully a big year ahead. I’m also fighting in March in our club show. We’re actually fighting the Guards. That should be an interesting one.”