Yemeni athlete captures Britain’s first ever gold medal in boxing
A legacy boxer from Yemeni origins becomes Great Britain's first ever Gold medal in boxing at the Tokyo Olympics
Galal Yafai, a 28-year-old boxer of Yemeni descent, won the men’s flyweight final at the Tokyo Olympics on Saturday, becoming Britain’s first Olympic boxing winner at the Games.
In a thrilling opening to the fight, the 28-year-old Birmingham boxer knocked his Filipino opponent to the ground and then won a 4-1 split decision from the judges to become an Olympic champion in Tokyo.
Yafai, who was born and reared in Birmingham, England, is the first British flyweight to compete for a gold medal since Terry Spinks in the 1956 Melbourne Olympics.
His victory gave Britain its 19th gold medal of the games. In all, the United Kingdom won 61 medals in Tokyo.
“Imagine yourself as an Olympic champion. It’s something I’ve always wanted but never thought would happen. “It just goes to show that if you put in the effort, you will reap the benefits,” the athlete told BBC Sport.
“I’m an Olympic champion, and I’m over the moon.”
Yafai, who hails from a boxing family that includes former world champion Kal and ex-European title holder Gamal, is poised to follow in the footsteps of his brothers into the professional ranks.
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