The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Team GB boxing clever
A DREAM CAME true for boxer Nicola Adams as she made history by becoming the first Olympic woman boxing champion.
Adams, a one-time extra in soaps such as EastEnders and Coronation Street, was roared to victory yesterday by chants of "Nicola, Nicola, Nicola" from 10,000 fans in the ExCeL.
It was the second gold medal for Britain in an hour after rider Charlotte Dujardin entered the history books by winning her second gold medal of London 2012.
The victory for Dujardin in the individual dressage means she joins Dame Kelly Holmes, Rebecca Adlington and Laura Trott as elite women who have won two golds in one games.
Adams said her celebrations would "definitely" go on for a few days, adding: "I think I just want to go to Nando's, actually."
The 29-year-old sealed her win with an Ali shuffle as she comprehensively overcame China's double world champion Ren Cancan in front of a crowd including the Duchess of Cambridge.
Adams, from Leeds, said: "It's a dream come true for me. I have been dreaming about this since I was 12 years old and the moment's finally come out here and I have finally got my gold medal for Great Britain.
"I'll be going round Leeds showing off my gold medal that I'm taking home for them, just to thank them all for the support that they have shown me over the years. I'm so proud to be from Leeds and to be able to add myself to the table of many great athletes (from Leeds)."
In 2009, there were doubts she would ever fight again after she broke a bone in her back by falling downstairs at home and had to spend several months recovering in bed.
After winning, she received a hug from Amir Khan, who won a boxing silver inAthens in 2004.
He said she was now the "face of British boxing, especially for the women", adding that she was "always smiling", "always happy": "I don't think I have ever seen her not smile."
Less than an hour earlier, a brilliant dressage display set to patriotic music including Land Of Hope And Glory and The Great Escape delighted huge crowds at Greenwich and won Dujardin (27) her second gold on her horse.
There was further success for British dressage when Laura Bechtolsheimer won bronze. Earlier this week the dressage team of Dujardin, Bechtolsheimer and Carl Hester won gold.
The medals took Team GB's haul at London 2012 to 51 — 24 gold, 13 silver and 14 bronze.
Dujardin, from Newent, Gloucestershire, said: "That was unbelievable. It is always something I've known the horse could achieve, but I didn't really know how I was going to find the atmosphere and the expectation."
If her mother had not used an inheritance to buy a horse with potential — for £18,000 — Dujardin might never have achieved gold.
She said: "My parents don't have a lot of money and it was only through my mum's mum dying, and with her inheritance money, we managed to buy Fernandes at a sale and he became my first grand prix horse.
"I have to say, I owe my mum an awful lot. She's great, she's supported me all the way. I'm very lucky."
Team GB secured another gold later as teenager Jade Jones took gold in the taekwondo final.
Her uncle Jeffrey Jones, 42, said: "Everyone is ecstatic. Really, really proud of the girl."
The atmosphere in the Olympic Stadium was electric as Usain Bolt took to the track in the 200-metre men's final.
Bolt sealed his place in Olympic history by becoming the first man to defend both the 100m and 200m Olympic titles.
The Jamaican once again beat compatriot Yohan Blake into second place, coming home in a time of 19.32 seconds.
He had clocked a new games best of 9.63 seconds on his way to gold in the 100m on Sunday.