Katie Taylor still struggling with wrist injury ahead of Baku

With the rugby team securing a second Six Nations championship in three years and Stephanie Roche being invited to sup Guinness with Barack Obama in The White House it's fair to say women's sport in Ireland is in ruder health than ever.

At the forefront of female dominance is World Champion boxer Katie Taylor, who is gearing up to head to the maiden European Games in Baku in June as the stand out athlete representing Ireland.

And Taylor is ready to pick up where she left off in Jeju last November, she says:”Things are going great. I feel really strong.

“I still have a bit of a problem with my wrist which I have to manage but other than that training’s going great and I feel in great shape ahead of the games.”

Taylor’s injured her wrist during last year’s World Championships where she came away with a fifth consecutive gold medal despite being unable to use her favoured jab as she beat Yana Allekseenva in the final.

The problematic wrist forced her to sit out of January’s national championships, however Taylor insists she is on the mend, she said: “It’s just a really slow process, it’s been a frustrating last few weeks and the last few months actually, but it is getting there thank god.

“I’ve been getting a bit of sparring in but I haven’t been able to get a consistent few weeks in because I need to rest it every few days.

“But other than that I’ve been able to spar using my right hand. I think it is definitely getting better. I’m going to see a specialist next week on my wrist over in Manchester so we’ll have a better idea of what’s going on then.

“I’m not really too worried about it. If I had to box tomorrow I’d be able to box tomorrow but I just want to get it right.”

While the European Games are Taylor's immediate concern every competition she enters seems to be played out under the shadow of next year's Olympic Games, and Taylor feels Baku will be good preparation for Rio 2016 qualification.

Speaking in Ballinasloe where she presented Ardscoil Mhuire student Stephanie O’Halloran with a Sky Sports Living for Sport award, Taylor said: “Yeah it’s a huge competition and it’s going to be such a tough competition as well. It’s a big one for me ahead of the Olympic qualifiers.

“I still haven’t qualified for Rio, qualifiers are next January in Khazakstan, so it will be great preparation for that.

“This is what I’m training for and these are the competitions I’m really motivated for, I can’t wait for it.”

Indeed, it is almost taken for granted Ireland’s boxing superstar will take part in Rio, and Taylor admits there is a huge amount of pressure on her.

She said: “There is an awful lot of pressure on me. People are already talking about Rio but I’ve got to qualify first. It’s not going to be an easy task.

“The best boxers don’t always qualify for the Olympics, you can easily have a bad day, but please God that won’t happen to me.

“I have a lot of confidence in myself and I love that challenge as well, I love going to every competition as the favourite, it’s something I relish.

“It’s a very exciting time.”