Mossely becomes first Frenchwoman to win boxing gold
Estelle Mossely celebrated her 24th birthday in style by becoming the first Frenchwoman to win Olympic boxing gold.
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Mossely edged out China’s Yin Junhua in the lightweight category on a split points decision. The French boxer grabbed the initiative from the first bell but was down on the judges’ scorecards and in danger of seeing her birthday ruined.
“I spoke to my coach and he said, 'You've trained hard for this, you're setting a good pace, you have good cardio,' and he urged me on,” she said.
“So from there it was just all instinct, trying to give more and more and more. And it worked.”
Mossely was the deserved winner having been the aggressor in the opening exchanges and to the very end of the bout against Yin, who was in fits of tears later when she collected her silver medal.
She is now desperate to see her fiancé Tony Yoka emulate her feat. Yoka entered the final of the men’s super-heavyweight category after beating Croatia’s Filip Hrgovic in the semis.
Yoka was watching from the stands, still in the red vest he had fought in and with a white towel around his neck. He then joined in as a small but vocal contingent of French staff and fans serenaded Mossely with “happy birthday”.
Mossely said that gold made her feel “complete”. “It's a lovely birthday present. It is a beautiful birthday present and it is fitting after all of these years of training and studying,” she said.
“I am very, very honoured to have won this gold medal and to be the first woman to win for France.”
France is enjoying its best Olympics in boxing with the possibility of two more gold to come at the weekend for Yoka and Sarah Ourahmoune.
- with AFP
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