Ashbourne boxer Lehane among heroic Olympians welcomed home

Ashbourne's Jenny Lehane was given a hero's welcome on her return to Ireland along with the Team Ireland Olympic squad today.

The athletes arrived on an Aer Lingus flight from Paris just hours after the Closing Ceremony and enjoyed a tumultuous welcome first at Dublin Airport and then at a homecoming gathering in Dublin City Centre where thousands of delighted fans turned out to welcome and celebrate their achievements. Team Ireland secured a stunning seven medals at the 2024 Games.

Jenny from Ashbourne had given up her teaching job two years ago to qualify for the Olympics and who will, no doubt, learn invaluable lessons from the experience where she was beaten by a highly experienced, highly proficient Chinese Yuan Chang in the last 16 contest. Chang would go on to win the gold medal in the women's 54kg weight class of boxing

“It was just an incredible experience overall," Lehane said after her debut Olympic bout. "To come out to such a huge crowd, I’ve never fought before as many people before in my life and in such an amazing venue. Hearing so much support coming from the crowd was just incredible and I’ll be forever grateful for that experience alone.

“I felt I carried out the tactics well that we went through in the fight analysis last night. But I think I came up just a bit short against a very experienced boxer. Overall I gave everything so I can be proud of myself.”