Olympic Medallist Walsh 'at Peace' With Retirement

Perceptions sometimes disguise reality and that tin ne'er beryllium much meticulous than successful nan lawsuit of an elite athlete.

For those looking connected from nan outside, Aidan Walsh seemed to beryllium flying precocious erstwhile claiming Olympic bronze successful 2021, but scratch nan aboveground and nan affable Belfast man was fighting a different battle.

The unit of performing astatine nan highest level successful amateur boxing has brought immoderate acheronian days, truthful announcing his status connected Monday "hasn't been difficult astatine all", saying he is "at peace" pinch nan decision.

"I wish I had done it a mates of years agone because it was coming," he confirmed.

The 28-year-old has made nary concealed of his intelligence wellness struggles contempt enjoying occurrence betwixt nan ropes pinch that Olympic bronze successful Tokyo, while besides claiming Commonwealth metallic successful 2018 and golden successful 2022.

Boxing "felt for illustration a conveyor loop I couldn't get off" arsenic occurrence only raised expectations and brought added pressure.

Although producing a superb tally of victories to suffice for Paris 2024, he admitted he was struggling to get done nan last World Qualifier successful Bangkok, conscionable arsenic he did successful nan 2022 Commonwealth Games successful Birmingham.

Exiting nan Paris Games successful nan first information to location favourite Makan Traore, Walsh opened up afterwards astir his problems and though his status doesn't travel arsenic a awesome surprise, "now is nan correct time".

"Looking backmost astatine nan question and reply successful Paris, it brought backmost a batch of emotions. When you spot it from an extracurricular perspective, you spot nan affectional pain, nan stress, nan unit and anxiety.

"Looking back, I was going done a batch truthful I conscionable consciousness truthful grateful to person met bully group and without that support, it would person been much difficult.

"I've had a batch of really bully thief from my family, my woman and her family. I'm astatine bid pinch it now because I was putting different group who attraction for maine and emotion maine nether unit owed to my ain suffering, truthful it's nan correct determination for myself and everyone else."

Walsh expressed his gratitude to those who helped him complete nan years including Sport NI's Gary Longwell, while crediting objective scientist Dr Paul Gaffney arsenic nan man who "changed my life", saying nan relationships, alternatively than medals, "mean nan astir to me".

When he and older sister Michaela first stepped done nan doors of St Agnes' Boxing Club successful Andersonstown pinch begetter and coach Damien, small did nan siblings cognize they were embarking connected a magical travel that would spot them scope 2 Commonwealth and 2 Olympic Games together arsenic team-mates.

That enslaved was not conscionable constricted to nan ring, but Aidan credits his sister for being instrumental successful helping him get done immoderate of his darker days.

"In sport, you're successful an situation wherever you are ever chasing success, based connected performance, expectations and backing criteria. It's portion of precocious capacity athletics and athletes cognize what they are signing up for, truthful it's difficult to admit those moments.

"I couldn't person done each of that without Michaela being there, without my family, without Paul Gaffney and nan group closest to me.

"The Olympics, really struggling going there; Commonwealth Games successful Birmingham, didn't want to spell and retired a week earlier but Michaela lifted maine disconnected nan level astatine Ulster University successful nan training camp.

"I'll beryllium honorable and opportunity I didn't bask my career. I wish I could springiness my Olympic badge to Michaela because she deserves it acold more."

Walsh's matador style successful nan ringing was not to everyone's sensation but regardless, it helped him subordinate an exclusive nine of Irish boxers pinch an Olympic medal.

The opportunity to upgrade nan colour successful Tokyo was only denied because successful celebrating his quarter-final triumph complete Merven Clair, nan Irish boxer injured his ankle and was ruled retired of his semi-final against Pat McCormack.

Still, nan encouragement to beryllium nan champion type of himself brought him to that constituent and it is simply a accuracy he will transportation forward.

"I sewage a batch of instrumentality complete nan years astir my style pinch group saying it wouldn't activity aliases beryllium effective, I was moving aliases afraid, truthful I utilized strategy complete aggression," he reflected.

"The biggest spot of proposal I ever sewage from a coach, earlier I walked successful to conflict for an Olympic medal, was 'Aidan, beryllium yourself'. That stands retired because a batch of coaches want to show you what to do, but if you let an jock to definitive themselves, astonishing things tin hap and I've knowledgeable it."

Walsh is presently studying for a Masters successful Sports Psychology astatine Ulster University and outlined his desire to embark upon a PhD focused connected Irish boxing successful nan future, while penning a book astir his experiences is besides an ambition.

There are nary plans to spell down nan coaching route, but instead, usage his knowledge to thief those young amateurs coming down him pinch "athlete well-being" his priority.

"I'm successful a position now to thief others locomotion nan way and make judge they aren't unsocial arsenic there's thing much terrifying.

"My extremity is to lend to make judge there's personification wrong that situation to support them, not really to go a amended boxers, triumph medals aliases person success, but to make them consciousness safe.

"It's been hard, reliable and accelerated (career), truthful I'm conscionable happy it's complete and connected to nan adjacent shape of my life."