Nicola Adams said she wants to inspire more children, especially girls, to get involved in sport after making history by winning a second Olympic boxing title. While Adams hasn’t made a definitive statement either way, the 33-year-old may have hinted at retirement when she commented on how tough the experience is.
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Adams was a star of the 2012 Games, where she became the first female to win an Olympic boxing title after women’s bouts were introduced.
But Adams is the real deal – and when the heat came on, particularly in the third and fourth rounds as her opponent threw caution to the wind, the Leeds fighter simply found another gear.
In 2012 Adams seemed to float through her fights, picking up wins and fans easily but in the final round here in the boxing hall she had to have the fight of her life, an old-fashioned slugfest to secure the gold. You’ve got to remember, impossible is nothing, you can achieve your dream, you just have to go for it and work hard.
The Watford-born IBF Heavyweight World Champion, Anthony Joshua, commended Adams’ patience in the ring, meanwhile her victory saved his blushes as he boldly predicted her victory in the build up to the fight, also adding “Nicola is one in a million”.
“This time around it was definitely a lot more emotional”. They’ve been absolutely wonderful, I’d just like to say thank you to everybody for all your support back home. So to shed a tear on that podium showed how much it meant to me.
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The top seed coming into the tournament, Lopez always looked the more polished fighter in what was a repeat of the 2015 world championship final and he closed out the draw with a 3-0 win. “I wanted the full set, and to think I’ve been able to do everything in one year: Europeans, worlds and Olympic champion all in the same year is unbelievable”, she said.
