London 2012 Olympics: Crowd raises roof as Nicola Adams takes boxing gold

NICOLA Adams punched her way into history today as she became the first woman to be crowned an Olympic boxing champion.

The noise was like thunder from the 10,000-strong crowd inside east London’s ExCeL
Olympic arena as the Leeds flyweight beat China’s Cancan Ren 16-7 to win gold.

Supporters were already on their feet for a standing ovation as Adams, 29, was named the winner over Ren, three times the world champion. The crowd did not seem to be in any doubt.

Women’s boxing is making its Olympic debut at London 2012.

The crowd erupted with handclaps and chanting of “Nicola, Nicola” when she came out of the corner at the start of round two.

It grew louder when she knocked her rival down a few seconds later and reached an even greater pitch when the round ended.

Even though the crowd had just watched the fast-paced
action live, there were further sighs and whoops as the action was replayed on screens during the break. It barely stopped throughout the bout.

The boxer described winning gold as “a dream come true”.

She said: “I am so happy and overwhelmed with joy right now. I have wanted this all my life, and I have done it.”

Adams said she was looking forward to taking her medal home to Leeds, because it will be really “special”.

The flyweight had already got the best of Indian sporting superstar Mary Kom in an electrifying semi-final for a spot in the gold medal bout. She even threw in an Ali shuffle for good measure.

The Duchess of Cambridge and Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg were among crowds who watched the title fight. After she won a place in the historic first Olympic women’s boxing final, Adams said she just wanted to make her mother, Dee, proud.

Adams is one of the 36 female fighters competing at London 2012. Women’s boxing was included after the International Olympic Committee’s executive board ruled in August 2009 that boxing would no longer be a male-only event from the
London Games. Britain’s other boxers, lightweight Natasha Jonas and middleweight Savannah Marshall, did not progress past the quarter-finals.

Athens 2004 silver medallist Amir Khan said: “Nicola put in a great performance. It is a first gold medal for women’s boxing and a first gold medal for Britain. She has a very bright future in front of her.”

Charlotte Dujardin won team GB another gold medal with a perfect and patriotic routine on her horse, Valegro, in the individual dressage.

Dujardi, who was the final rider, performed a jaw-dropping six-minute routine set to Land 
of Hope and Glory, I Vow to Thee, My Country and The Great Escape film theme.

The home crowd went wild when Dujardin won gold after an immaculate performance with a score of 90.089 per cent, ahead of Dutch rider Adelinde Cornelissen in silver. Fellow Briton Laura Bechtolsheimer took the bronze medal.