Gallagher out of Olympics after defeat in last-16

Gallagher was making his Olympic debut

Jude Gallagher says he will come back "bigger and better" after being knocked out of the Paris Olympics in the last-16 of the 57kg division.

Team Ireland's Gallagher, 22, lost 5-0 on the judges' cards to the Philippines' Carlo Paalam, a flyweight silver medallist in Tokyo who stepped up in weight for the Paris Games.

After a tight first round, in which both fighters landed significant blows, Paalam's second-round performance put him in the driving seat and ultimately left Gallagher with too much to do in the final three minutes.

"It was a close fight. I put in a good performance but I knew that Carlo was no slouch," said Gallagher, who was the 2022 Commonwealth Games champion for Northern Ireland.

"He's an Olympic silver medallist and they don't just hand them out.

"Unfortunately the decision didn't go my way, but sometimes you get those days."

Despite a defeat on his Games debut, Gallagher said he can "absolutely" take pride that he is now an Olympian, something he describes as a "massive achievement".

"I think qualifying for the Olympics is maybe harder than boxing at it," he added.

"I'm an Olympian now and no-one can ever take that away from me."

Gallagher hinted that he likely to continue in the amateur ranks to have a shot at the next Olympics in 2028 in Los Angeles, where he will be 26.

"It would have been nice to get a medal, but I'm still young and I'll grow and I can come back bigger and better.

"If I keep my head down and stick at it, keep working, keep growing and keep getting better then there will be a much better version of Jude Gallagher in four years' time."

Reigning Olympic champion Kellie Harrington and European champion Aoife O'Rourke are in action for Ireland later on Wednesday.