Amy Broadhurst and Lisa O'Rourke touched down on Irish soil for the first time since their World Championship wins this afternoon.
The pair of boxing aces soaked in the moment as jubilant friends, family and fans welcomed them to Dublin Airport earlier today.
Amy (25) and Lisa (20) made history at the Women’s World Boxing Championships in Istanbul on Thursday., following in the footsteps of Katie Taylor and Kellie Harrington - who both went on to claim Olympic gold medals.
Broadhurst went on to her hometown of Dundalk this evening and received a rapturous reception at a homecoming event.
A delighted Amy said: “This is crazy. I watched Katie Taylor ten years ago when she won the Olympics in Bray when she had the whole of her estate out and the fact that it’s happening to me now ten years later… the support is just unbelievable.
“Thank you very much to every single one of yous that have come out today.
"My aunty’s here, my grandad came up to the airport, he’s 86, and I never ever ever thought I’d see this and I just want to say thank you very much for all the support from everybody, you’ve been incredible with sponsorship and edging me on when things got tough. Thank you very, very much.”
Amy and Lisa received a heartwarming phone call from their idol Taylor yesterday as the world's top professional female fighter shared her congratulations.
Broadhurst reflected on her long journey to glory, admitting it has yet to fully sink in.
She said: "It’s taken a long road to get here, it’s been 20 years of my life that’s actually got me here.
"I’ve had European medals and that before but all I’ve wanted was a world medal and to get a world gold is unbelievable.
"I don’t think it’s sunk in yet, I don’t think it will sink in until I’m at home on my own and I’m actually just thinking of what I’ve achieved.
"I just knew from when I was a little girl this is what I wanted to do and even yesterday before I came out for my fight, I thought to myself 20 years ago I started boxing and this is what I’ve been dreaming of since I was that age. So it was a case of 'go and grab it’."
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