Rio de Janeiro (AFP) – Boxer Claressa Shields says she wants to inspire a generation of downtrodden young Americans across the United States after retaining her middleweight title on Sunday at the Rio Olympics.
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Uzbekistan’s boxers took a single medal at the London 2012 Olympic Games – a bronze – but at Rio 2016 they were among the contenders in nearly every category and won seven medals, more than any other country.
“American Claressa Shields fought in the final bout of the women’s middleweight boxing competition in Rio Sunday”.
“Standing 5’8″ to Fontijn’s 5’9”, Shields showed her versatility and speed in this fight to win her second gold medal.
“I have been through a lot in my life”, said Shields, who combines a punishing punch with an infectious spirit. Many consider her the best female boxer in the world.
After winning the gold in London, Shields did not get the money or fame or endorsements that she expected.
Claressa Shields is an inspiration to people in her hometown of Flint, which has struggled for many years, not just because of the lead tainted drinking water that forces city residents to rely on bottled water and/or special filters.
So went the medal race at the Olympics, where the Americans – with women leading the way – dominated the gold and overall totals.
“It is a great feeling to be Olympic champion, I’m so happy with the result”. From Shields and Biles to Simone Manuel, Michelle Carter, Ashleigh Johnson and many more, black women from the USA made history and took home gold in a stunning array of Olympic sports. “I was like, ‘Can you actually do this?'” she said. She split from her longtime coach, Jason Crutchfield, who had coached her when she started boxing at 11 and had been a father figure. “She believes she is the greatest of all time”. Your life is based on your decisions. She holed an 8-foot birdie putt on the 18th for a 69 to claim the silver by one shot over Shanshan Feng of China, who also shot 69.
Shields talked to reporters still wearing tape on her hands, still covered in sweat. “I’m definitely going to go out there and give it 300% and hopefully she’s going to give her 300%, let the best woman win”.
“She had thoughts of wanting to move on (go professional) but. there’s only a couple of people that have achieved three gold medals in the history of boxing and she’ll only be 25 come the next Games”.
“The day before my last fight, I didn’t eat or drink the right way”, she said. Though it can be argued that there has been a dramatic downturn in women’s boxing since 2003, I can see how it can make a swift comeback with the talent out there in the amateurs today. “I really can’t dwell on what I didn’t get”.
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“I’m fighting for my family, I’m fighting for my future, I’m fighting for my city – to give them some hope and faith, because it’s so bad in Flint”, she told ESPN. Growing up in Flint, there was so much darkness around me, but I still had a few good people around, and that’s how I was able to see things and become the person I am.
