The first woman to win an Olympic gold medal in boxing, Nicola Adams’ place in history is assured. But her impact went way beyond the ring at London 2012 and Rio 2016.
The facts
Age: 40
Born: Leeds
Olympics: London 2012, Rio 2016
Olympic medals: Gold x2
The journey
After going to the local gym with her mum to get fit, Adams was soon in a boxing session and discovered her love for the noble art aged 14.
Medals at the European and World Championships in 2007 and 2008 cemented Adams as a boxer on the rise but came balanced with part-time work as a builder and an acting extra on soap operas such as Coronation Street, Emmerdale and EastEnders.
Women’s boxing was added to the Olympic programme for London 2012 and there she pulled off her greatest victory yet by clinching gold against nemesis Ren Cancan of China.
She went again at Rio 2016 and more history as she became the first British boxer to retain an Olympic title since Harry Mallin in 1924.
Named the most influential LGBTQ+ person in Britain in 2012, Adams would go on to feature in the BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing in the show’s first-ever same-sex dance partnership.
The inspiration
Adams will always be one of a kind but her legacy proved the gateway to a new world in women’s boxing.
“She’s a real inspiration,” says Ebonie Jones, who followed Adams in the flyweight category.
“I did get to spar with her when I was younger, it was really good, such a great experience. A privilege to share a ring with her.”
Lauren Price, now a champion professional boxer, looked to Adams for early inspiration and the double Olympic gold medallist helped her choose the fight game over football.
“Nicola is absolutely massive for all of us,” she says. “She is the person who showed us all it’s possible.”
The legacy
Adams’ retirement meant British amateur boxing lost its centrepiece but the incredibly strong Sheffield-based programme, run by Rob McCracken, used the platform she forged to kick on.
British boxers brought back six medals from Tokyo 2020, Team GB’s best performance in the sport for more than a century.
Two of those came courtesy of women with Karriss Artingstall winning bronze and Price followed in Adams’ footsteps, delivering on her promise to win Olympic gold in the middleweight category.
Sportsbeat 2023