‘I did this for Australia’: Garside to bring home bronze
HARRY Garside wanted gold but was forced to settle for bronze after Cuban pound-for-pound star Andy Cruz put an end to the Australian’s incredible Olympic run.
Garside unsettled Cruz at times, with his awkward style proving difficult, but Cruz landed blow after blow in every round.
Garside clapped his opponent before the decision was formalised, before Cruz danced a Gangnam Stylejig in the ring to celebrate.
Garside won three fights to reach the semi-final on Friday, before running into Cruz, who might very well be the best amateur boxer in the world.
Cruz claimed the unanimous win, with Garside set to take home the nation’s first medal in boxing in 33 years.
Garside was full of praise for his opponent.
“(He’s) just an exceptional athlete,” he said. “I always wanted to fight him and see how I stack up against him. He was just too good tonight. I go back to the drawing board, back to the gym and make sure I train harder … and I’ll make sure I be better hopefully next time I fight him. He was just too good today, mate. I felt outclassed a little bit, but I had a red-hot crack, mate.
“That’s all Australians do, we have a red-hot dip. I’m proud of myself for that, but I really wanted to be the first ever to win an Olympic gold medal.
“But hopefully he goes far in the tournament and wins the next fight.”
Garside said he hoped all Australians enjoyed his performance.
“I’m just a normal kid from Victoria, and I just like having a chat and I find people really curious and I love hearing their story,” he said.
“I (was) just really like that normal kid from Lilydale. It is crazy I’m here, (it) hasn’t really sunk in.
“I did this for Australia and I know Australia’s proud of me that I got a bronze.”