Ahead of next summer’s Olympic Games in Rio, you would be forgiven for thinking that Ireland’s best chance of medals lay with our boxers.
Indeed, their successes have been some of the highlights that made the 2008 and 2012 Games so special.
Things haven’t been exactly peachy within the IABA following Billy Walsh’s departure from the Irish boxing set-up last month.
So, with this in mind, maybe it’s time to look further than the boxing ring. To something a little more obscure.
BMX for example. And guess what? Ireland’s got its very own world champion.
Since its introduction into the Olympics in 2008, BMX has been growing in popularity around the world.
At this year’s BMX World Championships in Zolder, Belgium, riders gathered from countries including France, Latvia and even as far afield as Colombia.
It was Ireland’s Kelvin Batey, however, who came out on top.
"The first time I won in the World Championships was in 2013 in New Zealand and it was a bit of an anti climax," he explains.
"I crossed the line, but there wasn’t anyone there really to celebrate with."
Originally from the UK, Batey has been one of the most high profile riders on the European scene and has been riding since he was a small child.
"I started back around 1988, when I was about six or seven and my brother, who’s three years younger than me, did it as well. We sort of grew with the sport.
"We won national and British titles, my Dad was training us both. We were doing well abroad as well."
Now at the age of 34, Batey has won several Elite Men’s titles in the UK and from an early age was engrossed in the sport.
"I went to the pro ranks when I was 16 and from there I spent time working my way up.
"I was 19 before I won my first national title there.”
"It took me a little bit of time to establish myself in the world and pro rankings, but I eventually started winning medals at European and World level. There were a lot of silvers along the way, mind you," he says.
The 2015 BMX World Championships saw a large travelling Irish contingent which, Batey explains, was one of the reasons why his success has been so special.
"This year it was different," he says, "a lot of the younger riders went with their families to support them and they all turned out for the races.
"We had about 50-60 people there cheering us on which in a developing sport like this is huge.
"When I won, it made it a lot more special because I could come out and celebrate with everyone. You take your pictures and you make your memories of that race.
"I get goosebumps now when I watch that race. It was such a great moment, one of the best of my career."
"Even before the run-up to the event I was getting messages of support and even the support from my girlfriend Maria has been terrific. She’s been right behind me for in the build-up to these championships and for my racing career in Ireland.”
Preparation is key to events like these and Batey knows the impact a supportive network can have.
"While I was there we had a big support team around us, which makes a big difference when you race in big championships like these.
"I went into the race and said I’m not here to get second or third place. I’m here to win.
"I got second the year before and that was hard to take because I felt I was the best rider there. I wanted to win the title back that I won in 2013 and I made sure that’s what was going to happen."
Having been overlooked for chance to ride in the Olympics for Team GB, Batey began to look at his options in the hopes of one day taking part in the games.
"I got to a point in 2008 where I was starting to look at BMX as a possible career path. I had qualified for the Beijing but subsequently didn’t get the place and couldn’t go."
Despite having earned a spot at the World Championships for Team GB prior to Beijing, British Cycling proceeded to hold an Olympic trial in Switzerland for the allotted position.
Batey went on to crash, suffering serious injuries which caused him to lose the qualification race and end his hopes of an Olympic appearance.
"That whole situation left a bad taste in my mouth. The poor handling of the whole thing beat me down physically and mentally and caused huge uproar amongst the BMX community."
Qualification for London 2012 wasn’t much better.
"At the World Championships in Birmingham in May of that year I was in the qualifying race and it was 'on-the-day qualifications'.
"I had my spot in the bag really, I was leading coming around the second turn and got taken out by a Dutch rider [Twan van Gendt] who had already qualified.
"I just needed a fourth place in that race and I was already in third before I was taken out and crashed.
"Once again I was so close and yet didn’t quite make it."
Crashes aren’t uncommon in BMX, which is considered to be a contact sport of sorts, but he insists that riders rarely go out to collide with one another.
"There is some contact, but it’s not a free-for-all. There are rules and regulations that you have to stick to.
"Over the years the riders have gained a lot of respect from each other. Obviously everyone is going for it, but the speeds we’re going at now that if you do touch or you do come off there will be consequences."
"The riders are more sensible than to just ride and try and take someone out.
"It’s all very respectful, because at the end of the day no one wants to be in that position where you get injured and wind up out of the sport for three, four or five months."
Indeed, the Nottingham-shire native has endured his fair share of injuries; dislocated fingers, broken ribs and even more serious collisions causing concussion and a contusion to his lung.
After his 2008 fallout with Team GB Batey decided to look elsewhere to follow his Olympic dream.
"My mother was adopted as a baby and she had found her real parents over here. She said: 'Why don’t you go over and ride for Ireland?'"
"I just thought, you know what? I’m going to do that.
"I contacted Cycling Ireland and we got a passport rushed through. I said to them at the time, it’s not just about pulling the jersey on now, it’s about developing the sport here in Ireland.
"I say this all the time; I might not have the accent but I’m as proud as I can be to ride for this country."
Since becoming part of Cycling Ireland, Batey has become an integral part of the development of the sport here in Ireland.
"My experience was one of the things I wanted to bring to it. At the time there was no Irish international rider.
"I thought with me racing abroad and doing well that it’d bring some publicity to the sport. It’d give it a little bit more in Ireland."
Even with his dedication to the Irish cycling scene, Batey now has his sights set firmly on Rio.
"About a year ago now I decided I was going to go for Rio 2016, because I just missed out on London 2012.
"I decided to give it all my energy and train full time for it and Ireland are really backing me again. I’m training hard, so I’m getting ready for next year.
BMX at London 2012 Picture by: Tim Ireland / PA Archive/PA Images
"When I’m preparing, it’s not so much about the quantity but the quality of training.
"At the moment I’m doing a lot of strength work in the gym, I’m doing bike work and I’ve started conditioning work as well."
Apart from the conditioning that goes into a rider’s legs, all must “pump” their bikes in order to accelerate during races.
"It’s not one of those where you have to pedal a bike, going over the bumps is where you can pick up a lot of speed.
"This means you have to pump the bike.
"Like a lot of power sports, a lot of the power comes from your core. You have to be really connected from head-to-toe and that’s something I’m working on at the minute."
Ahead of Olympic qualification next year in Colombia, the current World Champion sees a lot of positives in the sport globally since his arrival to the Irish camp.
"It’s not your traditional cycling sport, now it’s seen to be the extreme side of cycling and that’s helping bring younger kids into it, who go on and develop their skills.
"When they get better, they can take their skills to other disciplines, but people who want to stay and be professional stick with it.
"I’m not saying the sport is totally separate to cycling but it’s starting to develop it’s own identity.
"Now that it has been included in the Olympics, it’s starting to get a really credible history. Champions from the last couple of Games are famous in their own countries".
Batey is parting of the growing Irish BMX scene, with clubs and tracks in places like Dublin, Cork and Belfast and under the guidance of new national coach, Jeremy Hayes, 2016 could be a big year for riders in Ireland.
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