Delight as police track down boxer’s stolen gold medal

Police have recovered boxer David Nyika’s stolen Commonwealth Games gold medal.

The heavyweight boxer said he was relieved at its return because the medal held huge importance to him as a sign of his determination.

The police broke the news to Nyika’s girlfriend over the phone, but he was quick to cotton on to what was happening.

“I heard a bit of shrieking — it could only be one of a few things,” Nyika said.

“I was really chuffed when she told me that they had found it.”

A quick chat to Detective Sergeant Paul Slater reassured him the medal was “in good nick”.

“I was over the moon. The crazy thing is even though I was really hopeful, I was not expecting to get it back.”

There were so many variables, he worried the person who took the medal would panic and bin the medal under pressure, Nyika said.

His girlfriend had stayed in touch with the police during the search for the medal, as it held a lot of emotional weight for him, he said.

“It’s more a measure of my persistence and my resilience to overcome the trials I have had over the last four years . . .

“It was a huge achievement for me.”

Nyika said he was grateful

I heard a bit of shrieking — it could only be one of a few things.

for the way the community had rallied around.

His mother played hockey with a policewoman who he credits as encouraging him to come forward.

“She was the first one to say, ‘hey, better to cover your bases, come in and have a talk’.

“I was a little bit reluctant because I was a little bit embarrassed, but she kind of talked me around.”

She had told him that no matter where he parked his car nobody had the right to go through his stuff, he said.

“The police have done a wicked job.

“I’m just looking forward to finding out more details — so is everyone else, I think.”

Slater confirmed yesterday the boxer’s medal was with police.

“Firstly everyone in the CCTV footage was identified and most importantly we got the medal back!”, Waikato police said on Facebook. “That is so awesome!”

Slater said the investigation was ongoing and for that reason police were not in a position to discuss details of how the medal was recovered.

Police had previously released CCTV images from an Auckland retail premises of people they believed could help locate the medal.

During the public appeal, Nyika had asked for those responsible to return the medal — “no questions asked”.

He said he had the medal in his car because he often showed it to children on school visits.

David Nyika