%20(990%20x%20550%20px)%20(990%20x%20990%20px)%20(990%20x%20550%20px)%20(Card%20(Square))%20(1).jpg)
Sport for Business
Sport for Business
The Return of Kellie
Let us know what’s on your mind
Kellie Harrington returned to a sold-out Round Room and showed timing, movement, and control in a one-sided exhibition that points to a patient climb back to competition.
We also preview the Active Disability Ireland National Conference, focusing on inclusion through policy, coaching, facilities, and lived experience.
• Harrington’s composed return and what it signals for 2026 and LA 2028
• Exhibition context and opponent calibre
• Homecoming energy and athlete agency
• Inclusion as systems change across Irish sport
• Panel focus on policy to practice
• Ministerial perspective and commitments
• Jay Lusted on visibility and representation
• Expo highlights and sensory experiences
• Live unscripted interviews and why they matter
• Where to read and follow updates
Find out more about what we do day in day out at Sportforbusiness.com
We publish a daily news bulletin and host regular live events on a wide range of sporting subjects.
Subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts from, and look forward to more upcoming chats on leadership and the business of sport.
Our upcoming live events on Women in Sport and the Sporting Year Ahead, as well as plenty more, are live on the Sport for Business website, and we'd love to have you join us.
Hello, good morning, and welcome to the Sport for Business Daily Podcast. I'm your host, Rob Hartnett. Today is Wednesday, December the third, and on Sport for Business this morning, we have stories previewing the Rugby World Cup draw, which will be taking place at 9 a.m. and looking at the two agreements which have been reached between the FAI and the GAA and their respective player groups. But the most high-profile story, I guess, is the return of Kelly Harrington, who got back into the ring at the round room at the mansion house last night. And that is the subject of today's read through on the Sport for Business Daily. The Sport for Business Daily is an audio blast of the content which we produce every day on sportforbusiness.com. If you want to find out more, please do visit us at the website or sign up, subscribe, comment, and share wherever you get your podcasts from. Kelly Harrington made a triumphant return to the ring last night at the round room in Dublin, delivering a composed and a commanding performance that signaled a new chapter for the double Olympic champion. Boxing in front of a sold-out crowd in the spectacularly presented round room at the mansion house, the Dubliner outclassed Dutch opponent Chelsea Heinen in an exhibition bout that showcased her desire to be back between the ropes. The atmosphere inside the roundroom was buzzing long before Harrington stepped through the curtain, with supporters eager to witness her first outing since stepping away from the international stage earlier this year. When the opening bell sounded, any questions about ring rust were quickly dismissed. Harrington boxed with poise and timing, controlling the exchanges, dictating distance, and delivering clean combinations. Though officially a no-decision exhibition, the bout was unmistakably one-sided. Heinen, a world championship bronze medalist in her own right, pressed forward throughout, but Harrington's movement, accuracy, and ring intelligence kept her in command from start to finish. Last night was a homecoming of sorts, an intimate setting, a Dublin crowd, and a chance to reconnect with the sport on her own terms after a demanding decade at the highest level. Harrington is expected to return to full competition at the 2026 National Elite Championships, likely back at lightweight, fighting at 60 kilograms, as she positions herself for one more major cycle in the sport. She clearly remains a formidable presence and will be a central figure in Irish boxing's next chapter, as well as Team Ireland's at the LA 28 Games. Her comeback may yet become one of the most compelling stories in Irish sport over the next two years. Another story on Sport for Business today is the fact that we will be live today at the Active Disability Ireland National Conference. It's taking place in the Johnstown estate in Enfield, County Meath, and it coincides with the United Nations International Day of Persons with Disabilities. This year's theme of influencing and challenging brings together leaders, practitioners, and advocates from across Irish sport to explore how inclusion can be strengthened through systemic change, collaboration, and everyday practice. A central feature of the programme will be a panel discussion led by Adam Harris, founder and CEO of As I Am, and Joe McTavish, Sport Ireland's disability and sport lead. Together they will examine how Ireland can drive lasting change by embedding inclusion at every level of the sporting system, from policy and coaching to facilities, culture and community engagement. Minister of State at the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport, Charlie McConnellogue, will open the day and join in a conversation about the government's thinking and commitment in this area. The conference will also welcome its keynote speaker, Jay Lusted, the Welsh actor, presenter and disability advocate, whose work in television and public life continues to challenge perceptions of disability. Lusted's address is expected to highlight the power of visibility, storytelling, and representation in reshaping attitudes both on and off the field of play. Adding a dynamic and unpredictable element to the day, I will also be taking to the stage for a series of unscripted conversations, interviewing three surprise guests in a live, unrehearsed format designed to bring authentic personal stories to the forefront. The conference will also feature a broad accessibility and inclusion expo with vendors and exhibitors showcasing products, technologies, and services designed to support physical activity for people with disabilities. From adaptive equipment to program innovations and a sensory experience allowing us to experience elements of what it is like facing the world with a disability. Guiding attendees through the day's discussion and stories will be Master of Ceremonies, Joanne Murphy, the respected Tri-Talking Sport presenter, known for her work amplifying athlete voices and championing the belief that sport is for everyone. We are promised a blend of expert insights, lived experience, and future focused discussion. So the 2025 conference is going to aim to galvanize the sector and inspire practical action, leadership, and collective commitment. If you're going to be down there in Johnstown estate, do say hello. Other than that, you'll be able to read and hear about it on Sport for Business in the coming days.
