Kellie Harrington's relationship with wife Mandy

Kellie Harrington has been in a relationship with Mandy Loughlin for more than 13 years after they met through boxing.

The couple married just under a year ago and bought their first home just a few days later.

Dubliner Harrington won Olympic gold at Tokyo 2021 as she followed in the footsteps of Katie Taylor, who also won the lightweight gold at the London Games in 2012.

Mandy still teaches boxercise, but no longer competes in the sport and previously revealed that she can't watch any of her partner's fights as she gets too nervous.

Mandy said she had "sleepless, anxious nights" during the Olympics as Kellie battled her way to gold.

Previously speaking to Ryan Tubridy on RTE Radio 1, Mandy said: "I did [see them] five minutes later but not live. I just can't do it.

"I don't know whether it's because I've been a boxer myself... I don't know. I just don't know. I just can't do it.

"Usually I take the dogs out for a walk [during the fights] or I try and just be normal and do normal things just to try put it at the back of my mind for awhile.

Kellie Harrington and Mandy Loughlin (Collins Photos)

"It was actually hard because they were all in the middle of the night this time so it was just sleepless, anxious nights.

"It was really, really, really tough I have to tell you."

When asked if she thought Kellie would go all the way in Tokyo, Mandy said: "I never doubted Kellie for a minute. Never.

"The whole package is here for Kellie now. She's got such a fantastic support system in her coaches, in the IABA, in her club coach, her family, her friends.

"Everything has just come together so well for Kellie. Obviosuly Covid and stuff like that has kind of not knocked her confidence, but I feel the only thing that wasn't coming together was the lack of preparation to a certain extent where they weren't going to the usual competitions at that level.

"But when she went to those qualifiers she just flew through them and she came out with the gold. That was all the confidence she needed.

"I was so happy and so positive that she'd get what she deserved."

On how they met, Mandy said: "We met 13 years ago in boxing when she used to have to trek over to Bray to train where I was training at the time.

"We met there and clicked and the rest is history. There was an initial [vibe that they wouldn't get along] the first time we met but after that we were grand.

"I suppose it's just such a difference - a north inner city girl and a southside girl might just not get on straight away but opposites obviously attract and it was the best thing ever."

Kellie and Mandy live together with their three dogs.

Mandy said: "We have a little French Bulldog, Nidge, who's three and a Staffy, Maisie, she's 12. They're just gorgeous. They're absolutely babies. They don't know they're dogs. They think they're human beings."

Kellie Harrington and her partner Mandy Loughlin (Instagram/ Kellie Harrington)

During lockdown, Mandy helped Kellie keep in shape as she assisted her in training.

Kellie explained: "I was running at home so I was doing some running sessions and then Mandy would hold the pads for me and we'd so some boxing.

"I used to do some shadow boxing and I'd record it off my phone and then we'd send it to the coach. The coach would say whether you were good or you were bad or what you needed to improve on. There was a lot of that.

"I was also trying to do some classes on the road - socially distanced classes. Just doing things to keep my mind occupied, but always doing something and staying busy."

The couple enjoy holidaying together - taking a trip to Killybegs in Donegal among other places.

They brought their two dogs and made the most of their time off by going for walks and swimming in the sea in Donegal.

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