Immensely honoured to have represented our country, writes Nicola Adams on her retirement

Immensely honoured to have represented our country, writes Nicola Adams on her retirement

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In an open letter to her local newspaper the Yorkshire Evening Post, boxing champion Nicola Adams has expressed her immense honour in having had the opportunity to represent Britain. The 37-year-old has hung up her gloves on advice from her medical staff to protect her eyes from further damage.

Widely regarded as the pathfinder for women's boxing, Nicola became the first-ever women's Olympic boxing champion at London 2012 when she took the flyweight crown. Coming back from a shoulder injury, she went on to defend her title at Rio 2016, embarked on a professional career and in 2018, within 18 months of doing so, won a world title — the vacant WBO flyweight belt. However, she abandoned all hopes of a third gold in Tokyo next year by announcing her retirement on Wednesday as her doctors warned her that further impact to her would cause irreparable damage. 

"I've been advised that any further impact to my eye would most likely lead to irreparable damage and permanent vision loss. I'm immensely honoured to have represented our country -- to win double Olympic gold medals and then the WBO championship belt is a dream come true... But it's not without taking its toll on my body," Nicola wrote, reported AFP.

"To my wonderful team, I would not be the fighter I am today without your encouragement and understanding -- what you have taught me goes beyond the ring. Hanging up my gloves was always going to be hard, but I have never felt luckier, And I'm so immensely proud of how far the sport has come,” Nicola added.

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