Katie Taylor and the Wait Of A Nation

We like to think of ourselves as a sporting nation that punches above its weight and, in truth, we may very well be. A rugby team deservedly ranked amongst the best in the world, a soccer team that defies our size, player pool and financial clout, and individuals throughout history contributing to the global sporting landscape, we have a lot to be proud of. But above all sit the achievements of one: Katie Taylor.

Leave aside, for just one moment, her prowess on the soccer field. Forget for a second her success in promoting sport to the nation's female population. Even forget for a minute her reputation as a well-spoken, committed and honest competitor. The simple fact is that Katie is not just the best we've got, she's the best we've ever had.

Yes, Brian O'Driscoll is fantastic, Roy Keane had a spectacular playing career, Sonia O'Sullivan enjoyed great success and all receive fitting plaudits and platitudes. Padraig Harrington, Stephen Roche, Ruby Walsh, there is a fine list to be made, but none - and I really mean none - can compare to the irrepressible Ms. Taylor. Never have we had a reigning 4-time world champion. Never have we had an athlete so completely dominant in her own field. Taylor deserves recognition far beyond what she has received - furthermore, she deserves a level of recognition that we as a sporting nation can barely comprehend.

In London - possibly her last major tournament - Taylor has the opportunity to cap the finest career in Irish sport with the finest achievement in world sport. A gold medal not only elevates her into a small band of Olympic champions in Ireland, it rounds off a resume that may never be surpassed. Katie is capable, but we - and the world - expect a win. The pressure is there, but so is the talent. So is the drive, the determination, the sheer will to triumph like she did in New Dehli, and Ningbo, and Barbados, and Qinhuangdao.

Tonight, Katie Taylor carries the nation's flag in her hands. For the next two weeks, she carries the nation's hopes on her shoulders.