IN THE Workers' Gymnasium, a sports venue now serving as the unofficial Irish embassy in Beijing, the uprising against Irish Olympic mediocrity continued yesterday as Darren Sutherland, of Blanchardstown via the Caribbean, became the third Irish boxer to guarantee himself a medal from these Olympic Games.
Not since Melbourne in 1956, when Irish boxers brought home four medals, has the sweet science enjoyed such Olympic success. On that occasion the fighters were overshadowed by Ronnie Delany. Only by an act of God, or a miracle of pharmacy, could an Irish athlete outshine the boxers this time.
Sutherland's achievement means that from a team of five fighters sent to China three have won medals.
Arguably, Sutherland's achievement is the most significant; he has never taken the easy road.
Yesterday he fought world number two Alfonso Parra Blanco of Venezuela, whom Sutherland describes as "his nemesis". Blanco had ended the Irishman's involvement at the World Championships in Chicago last October with a stylish victory.
All was changed yesterday. Sutherland, who likes to throw punches like confetti, surprised his opponent with cunning in defence and economy in attack. He won on a score of 11-1 and the concession of just one punch represented, he reckoned, his most successful exercise of defensive boxing.
"I don't want to get emotional," he said, emotionally. "But four years . . . of hard, hard work has paid off. To come back from that injury and to be standing before you . . . an Olympic medallist, it's amazing."
It is. Sutherland is proof that life is a journey not a destination. Born in Dublin to Anthony, his Caribbean father, and Linda, his Finglas mother, he spent the first seven years of his life in London and the next four on the island of St Vincent in the Caribbean. Finally, the Sutherlands moved back to Dublin.
At 15 he was spotted on the set of Sparrow's Trap,an ill-fated film being shot in Dublin. He left school immediately after his Junior Cert to go to Sheffield and work with the professional trainer Brendan Ingle.
He was back 3½ years later, disillusioned and aimless; but, at 20, he put on a school uniform and studied for his Leaving Cert. Four years later he is an Olympic medallist and a university graduate, but even that was complicated. A serious eye injury two years ago almost cost him his career. Now he intends to turn pro.
"I believe in fate," he said. "The one thing I said coming out was I'd love a bit of luck with the draw. I wanted to avoid the main three, the Cuban, the Russian and the Kazak, until the medal stages. Behold: I got the Venezuelan for the medal! And he was perfect. He was redemption."
If Sutherland got to settle with his nemesis, his opponent in tomorrow's semi-final, James DeGale of England, refers to Sutherland using precisely the same term. They have fought five times with Sutherland winning four of the bouts.