Ireland's Taylor qualifies for Rio Olympics

Katie Taylor of Ireland reacts after winning her women's 60kg Light weight boxing gold medal fight at the 1st European Games in Baku, Azerbaijan, June 27 , 2015. REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach

(Reuters) - Ireland's Olympic lightweight boxing champion Katie Taylor qualified for the Rio Games on Tuesday after reaching the semi-finals of the women's world championships in Astana.

Taylor, the London 2012 gold medallist, suffered a shock defeat in a European qualifier in Turkey last month and needed to make the last four at the worlds to secure her place on the plane to Brazil.