Zaur Antia is the brains behind Ireland's boxing success and superb displays over the past 21 years

Boxer Kellie Harrington's gold medal victory at the recent Olympics has undisputedly elevated her to the status of queen of Irish amateur boxing.

Almost two million viewers on Tuesday, August 6th, tuned in after 10pm to see what was for many, the supreme highlight of the 33rd Olympiad in Paris. 

The build up began early in the day and by late night the atmosphere in clubs, pubs and homes all over Ireland was tense in anticipation of an Irish victory.

As the fight grew closer many supporters became more suspect of Wenlu Yang, her Chinese opponent. 

Eight years earlier the China women recorded a victory over Kellie and this many now thought could give her a psychological advantage. 

Kellie was now 34 years of age; her opponent was now also a professional world champion, and this led to reasonable cause for concern about the outcome of the final.

However, Kellie Harrington stuck to the game plan prepared by head coach Zaur Antia and his team. 

The Dublin boxer was cool, calm and composed and executed the plan with calculated precision. 

The world has seen this fight, and all know how it unfolded. 

When the final bell rang at the end of the third round Kellie knew she had done enough, with a boxer’s intuition she knew she was the winner. However, this is amateur boxing and this was the Olympic games and strange things can happen.

As the judges tallied the scores the tension was palpable. 

Kellie looked confident in the centre of the ring, but the entire country waited with bated breath. 

Her coach Zaur Antia knew well they were in a cauldron where daylight robbery was always on the menu.

He leaned on the ropes looking down with his head in his hands and prayed: “Let it be Lord”. 

Then came the decision …. 

And the winner of the Olympic gold medal in the blue corner Kellie Harrington, Ireland.

This decision was greeted with extraordinary scenes. 

Having her hand raised in Olympic victory Kellie embraced her opponent and then fell to the canvas on her knees. 

She kissed the canvas and blessed herself as she looked to the heavens and muttered a message of gratitude.

This was the last bout of the night and facilitated what subsequently transpired. 

The double Olympic champion danced around the ring with the fluency of a ballet dancer. 

The whole country basked in her success. 

Ireland as a nation was momentarily consumed with happiness. 

The diaspora abroad was proud to be Irish. 

Even the dogs in the inner-city Dublin were draped with the tri-colour. 

Many a glass was raised to the historic success of the St Mary's BC boxer. 

This was Irish boxing's fourth Olympic gold medal and was the sports 19th Olympic medal. 

Back in Dublin, Kellie’s home had become a mecca to boxing supporters. 

The local park was thronged with hundreds watching on the big screen. 

Every street and shop in the locality was bedecked with colour, and many premises sported the famous cardboard signs depicting a smiling Kellie Harrington with the words saying our golden girl.

At the RTÉ studios in Donnybrook the three boxing pundits Bernard Dunne, Darren O'Neill and Kenny Egan could not contain their joy. 

Throughout her four Olympic bouts they all agreed that Kellie was in prime condition and fully focused despite stiff opposition - all three always believed that she would deliver gold.

These pundits, all former international boxers, stated on numerous occasions that Kellie had the best technical boxing coach in the world in her corner. 

Bernard Dunne said: “make no mistake about it Zaur Antia is a boxing genius and since his arrival in Ireland he has delivered ten Olympic medals.” 

Kenny Egan agreed and warned that the IABA need to mind this man as he will be constantly headhunted by the bigger boxing nations throughout the world. 

Darren O'Neill believed Zaur's knowledge of boxing was phenomenal and he played a major part in helping Kellie to victory.

Zaur Antia, the man from Georgia, would never have seen these shores but for one man. Dan O'Connell. 

He was the man who recognised his boxing knowledge and abilities. 

Dan succeeded twenty-one years ago in luring Antia to Ireland. 

According to Dan he did not have one word of English except 'ice cream.' 

Dan brought him to Cork and put him up in his home for weeks. 

He introduced him to the cultures of the Emerald Isle. 

Dan himself is internationally recognised as a boxing diplomat throughout the world, and prepared a file on behalf of Zaur and presented it to the IABA. 

They subsequently employed him. 

On Wednesday morning last, following Kellie's Olympic victory Antia rang this writer and expressed his gratitude for what Dan and Cork had done for him. 

Cork was the first to honour Antia followed by the Olympic federation of Ireland six months later. 

Zaur Antia is Ireland's boxing messiah and Dan O'Connell is the man who unearthed the jewel in the Irish boxing crown.