Girl boxing champ puts ‘em up for Olympic committee in USA

Nicola Adams; ready to throw punches at London 2012

Whilst Boxing Academy student Nicola Adams settles into the new term at Hopwood Hall College, she is also preparing to head stateside for an exhibition bout to showcase womens' boxing for the Olympic committee next month. Nicola was recently picked by international boxing judges after a fight in Hungary to attend the event which is part of the World Senior Male Championships in Chicago, where male athletes are being selected for Beijing 2008.

Women’s boxing appears on the agenda at the London Olympics in 2012 for the first time in the history of the games and Nicola, the current Senior Women’s ABA English Champion, is tipped as a hopeful for a medal.

Bantamweight Nicola (24) recently boxed in Hungary, losing out by just one point to the Russian champion Sofiya Ochigava in the 54kg class. Judges were so impressed by their skilful display, the girls have been invited to step into the ring once more in the USA.

Nicola said: “To think I could be a future Olympian feels almost unreal. I am so excited that I will be at the forefront of bringing the sport to the Olympics and putting women’s boxing on the map.”

Coach Alwyn Belcher said: “Nicola is a fantastic and dedicated athlete and is an excellent example for other girls wanting to get involved in a sport typically thought of as male dominated. I believe she has what it takes to represent us in 2012 and go for gold."

Yorkshire born Nicola is this year one of three girls at the College’s specialist Boxing Academy, as the sport gathers momentum and popularity. Her course mate Ruth Raper is this year’s Junior ABA Women’s Champion and another, Nicola Brown, shows promise, having won her last two contests.

Hopwood Hall’s Middleton based Boxing Academy combines academic study with professional training for young athletes aged 16 and over. The College is a Centre of Excellence for Sport and also has Academies in Women’s Football and Rugby League.