So the hard work began all over again.

A lover of Chinese food, Walsh had to build his way back into physical shape for the first World Qualification Tournament in Italy in May.

“I don’t know about giving those Chinese meals up,” he laughs. “I was still eating them.

“I always kept myself in good shape, even though I didn’t train. I lost a lot of muscle. That was probably the hardest – building that back up.

“It wasn’t too long before I got back to myself and found myself in the ring again.”

Walsh lost in the second round of the first qualifier, which meant he had one final opportunity in Bangkok in June.

In the last-chance saloon, Walsh would face six bouts in eight days.

And with one place remaining, he used his experience to clinch a split-decision win.

“I think Bangkok was probably the toughest experience in my boxing career but, looking back, it would be my proudest moment in sport – to be able to come back and to be able to compete back-to-back in six fights in eight days,” he says.

“That is something that took a lot of mental strength. It took a lot of resilience.”

Walsh is now preparing for a second Olympic Games – one that a year ago wasn’t on his radar.

“Paris is a bonus,” he says. “My goal was always to be an Olympian. I achieved that.

“My goal was to be an Olympic medallist and get my name in the history books of the boxing greats from Ireland. I’ve done that.

“To be a two-time Olympian with my sister, I’ve done that. So anything else is a bonus.”