Olympic boxer Kellie Harrington marries partner in beautiful ceremony surrounded by their dogs

Olympic boxer Kellie Harrington got married to her long-time partner with their three dogs in tow.

The 32-year-old Irish boxer married Mandy Loughlin, who she has been with since 2009 after meeting her through the sport, on Friday (8 April).

Sharing a photo of herself and her wife in wedding dresses alongside their three dogs – who were also dressed for the occasion – she said: “In a world where ye can be anything, just be yourself.”

Previously sharing the difficult part of planning a wedding, Harrington posted on Instagram in January: “Wedding planning for a wedding that is three months away is definitely STRESSFUL.

“No venue, Not a stitch of clothes. Not knowing who to invite or where to bloody start.

“When people said planning a wedding is stressful I never believed it till now!”

Kellie Harrington became the third Irish woman to ever win a gold medal when she beat Brazil’s Beatriz Ferreira in the women’s middleweight final at last year’s Olympic games in Tokyo.

Hers was one of 32 medals won by out LGBT+ athletes at the Tokyo Games.

After winning, in floods of tears, she said: “I’m just… like, the hard work, dedication and sacrifice that has gone into this. The lonely moments, the tears, you know what it is like. My family knows, my coach knows, the coaches here know.

“It hasn’t even hit yet. I am crying because I have a sense of relief to be honest. When I get back and in my room on my own or when I get up to the team it will hit. I’m just relieved.”

Harrington announced that she would return to her part-time job as a cleaner at St Vincent’s psychiatric hospital in Dublin after her win, telling the Irish Times: “I’m an Olympic champion but it doesn’t define me as a person”.

She added: “I’ll be home, I’d say it will be a bit mental, but I will be going back to work, either in two weeks or three weeks.”