TRIBUTES HAVE been paid to Olympic bronze medallist Darren Sutherland, who was found dead in tragic circumstances at his London home on Monday.
The 27-year-old was born to an Irish mother and Caribbean father, and spent most of his childhood in Dublin before the family relocated to Navan in Co Meath.
He had a glittering amateur career, culminating in a bronze medal at the Beijing Olympics, and was aiming to become world champion.
“I want to go all the way,” said Sutherland upon turning pro last year. “There’s no point starting out if you don’t believe you can win a world title. That’s where I want to go.”
The sporting world has been left reeling by the death of the middleweight boxer, described as a gregarious, good-humoured presence.
Irish Olympic Council President Pat Hickey commented: “His Olympic colleagues enjoyed his irrepressible good humour and his keen interest in all of the various sports that Ireland participated in. He was simply a superb individual who had time for everyone.”
Minister for Sport Martin Cullen referred to the tremendous determination of Darren Sutherland, who “brought immense pride to Ireland in Beijing in 2008… it takes work, effort, desire and dedication to be a champion, qualities Darren had in abundance.”
