Macc’s Olympic boxing star wins

KARRISS Artingstall brilliantly despatched one of Brazil’s top medal hopes – and claimed she was not even surprised.

The 26-year-old Macclesfield featherweight had her first-round contest with Brazil’s Jucielen Romeu always under control to secure a unanimous points victory in Tokyo.

Just as Botswana’s Keamogetse Sadie Kenosi was swatted aside on Saturday, the Brazilian was ruthlessly given her marching orders by the army gunner.

She said: “I told you I would get better as the tournament went on and I believe in myself that I performed better in that bout than I did in the first one.”

“Seeds mean absolutely nothing to me, it’s a number. Ones, twos, threes whatever you want to call yourself until you get in that ring with me and beat me, I am not going to say you are better than me or you box better than me.

“I’ve not come across that girl who I just boxed there so for her to be the number three seed in my eyes, that meant absolutely nothing to me.

“I’m the bronze medallist from the worlds, so that makes me in my eyes number three.”

Next up for Artingstall is Australia’s Skye Nicholson today (Wednesday), also a former world bronze medallist and big name

Down Under, her brother Jamie competed in the Olympics but died in a car crash the year before she was born.

“Everybody wants to get gold,” added Artingstall.

“I’m just taking every fight as it comes and I want to get myself on that podium and I want my face cemented on that wall in Sheffield at Boxing HQ so they can look at me for the rest of their lives.

“It’s so inspiring to see the success in all the other sports, the golds in swimming, diving, and cycling today. We are lots of sports but we are one team.

“There’s a buzz and I think it is because the team is absolutely flying. We are all on form, we are all enjoying it.

“It’s the Olympics after all, we are making the most of it.”

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