Adams determined to retain Olympic Games gold

Omnisports

March 30, 2016 3:00 AM

Olympic flyweight champion Nicola Adams is determined to fend off all competition in Rio and retain the gold she won at London 2012.

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Olympic flyweight champion Nicola Adams expects to be the woman to beat once again at the Rio Games, but is confident her "A-game" will deliver more gold.

With women's boxing introduced to the Games at London 2012, Adams became the first female Olympic champion when she defeated Ren Cancan at the ExCeL Exhibition Centre.

Just five fighters: Zou Shiming, Guillermo Rigondeaux, Mario Kindelan, Oleg Saitov and Felix Savon have defended boxing gold in the 21st Century.

Adams will look to book her place at the Games when qualification takes place in Turkey next week.

And the 33-year-old is confident she can make history all over again in Brazil, despite anticipating a little extra from each opponent she faces.

"Everyone is my main rival, I'm not taking any chances, not taking anyone lightly," she told Omnisport.

"The average boxer turns into a world-class boxer when they are up against Nicola Adams so I've got to always step in the ring with my A-game.

"It [being the one to beat] is the motivation to keep me training when it's cold and raining outside, it's the thing that gets you up in the morning and gets you out there running.

"You just know that everyone wants to be the next Nicola Adams.

"Everybody wants what I've got, so to keep what I have I have to work really hard, train hard, listen to the coaches and keep on improving all the time."

Adams has been blighted by shoulder and back injuries since winning gold in London, but is confident those problems are behind her as she looks to win back-to-back titles.

She added: "My preparation is going really well at the moment. I am excited about going to the qualifiers next week and hopefully becoming an Olympian again.

"All my injury problems have cleared up and now everything is coming together for me.

"It [a second gold] would mean everything to me, this is the reason why I have kept on training for the past four years, I'd love to become a double Olympic champion.

"I'd love to add that little piece of history to my belt."

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