“It’s no secret that myself and my dad had parted ways that year.”
Katie Taylor revealed on The Late Late Show that she was “sleeping in her car” ahead of the 2016 Rio De Janeiro Olympics, and opened up about the fallout with her father.
The Bray boxer would sleep in her car between training sessions during a year which she describes as the worst of her career.
Katie Taylor on The Late Late Show discussing her father.
2016 saw Taylor part ways with her father as coach before the Olympics, which ultimately ended in major disappointment for the 2012 Olympic gold medalist.
The now-professional boxer gave an insight into why she did not manage to win back-to-back Olympic golds.
“I felt like I was the hot favourite going into the Rio Olympics,” Taylor told Ryan Tubridy.
“But the whole year itself was definitely very different. I guess I would describe the whole year as being turmoil.
"You just can't be driven by anything other than passion and purpose" ??@KatieTaylor tells Ryan about having to fight while pretending to be a boy when she was younger!
"Did you win?"
"Of course I won Ryan ? "#LateLate pic.twitter.com/ppqLXydVPE
— The Late Late Show (@RTELateLateShow) May 28, 2021
“A lot of turmoil within family relationships. It’s no secret that myself and my dad had parted ways that year.
“My whole training regime was turned upside down. I was going from club to club, just trying to get a few spars here and there.
“I was in and out of the Irish boxing team, sleeping in the car in between sessions.
“I wasn’t eating properly. My preparation mentally and physically was all over the place.”
Katie Taylor’s 2016 expectation.
Despite everything, the current undisputed world lightweight champion still expected to win the gold medal heading into the Games.
“But I still went in to the competition as the hot favourite and still believed I could win gold,” Taylor added.
“When things down pan out the way you hoped and dreamed, you really can’t underestimate how heartbreaking that is for an athlete with my mentality.
“Winning is everything. That was easily the lowest point of my career.”
You can watch the full interview here.
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