"It's hard to sum up this feeling" says Offaly's newly-qualified Olympian

A moment that Gráinne Walsh had long dreamed about became a reality in Thailand today (Sunday), as she won her final qualification bout to book her place at the Olympics in Paris.

"I have lived this moment over in my mind a million times, and to actually have it come true now is unbelievable," the Tullamore woman said.

Giving her reaction to her brilliant unanimous points victory against Armenia's Ani Hovsepyan, in a video shared by the Irish Athletic Boxing Association (IABA), she said: "It's extremely hard to sum up in words this feeling. I feel like it was all meant to be."

At the previous qualification tournament in Milan last March, she had been on the wrong end of a highly-contentious split decision against Poland's Aneta Rygielska, in a bout that most observers felt the Irish boxer had won.

"I feel like I qualified back in Milan and I came to Bangkok to collect my ticket," said Gráinne today.

"I believe everything happens for a reason, and I'm just so delighted and over the moon.

"Having my family here - I have my Dad here, and my brother and sister - and the support of the nation, and the community of Tullamore at home, and my Mam and my brother.

"I'm actually so proud of myself. It's been a long road, and it's only the start."

When asked what had gotten her over the line on this occasion, she said: "The faith that the coaches have shown in me. The road I've been on. All the knock-backs - it all had to be for this reason."

She said that some might have "turned around and walked away" after some of the setbacks she had experienced, but "each time I got a knock-back it set me up and added more strings to my bow for this moment. That's why this moment is all the sweeter for me.

"I actually can't believe it," she said.

You can watch the interview with Gráinne here: