OLYMPICS LONDON 2012: Jonas hopes for Games podium finish

By Charlie Talbot-Smith, Sportsbeat, London 2012

GREAT Britain boxer Natasha Jonas has already cemented her place in the Olympic record books – and she’s determined to add some London 2012 silverware to her slice of history this summer.

The 28-year-old became the first ever British female boxer to qualify for the Olympics by reaching the semi-finals of the World Championships in China in May – going on to win bronze in the lightweight category.

Prior to that, Jonas had won European bronze in 2011 at light welterweight and was England’s No.1, but after dropping down a category she saw off stiff competition from Amanda Coulson and Chantelle Cameron to earn her shot at the Olympics.

Jonas was handed a tough first round draw against American Quanitta Underwood but she still harbours hopes of improving on her World Championship performance.

“I want to change my (world) bronze into gold come the Games so it’s a case of working as hard as I have been between now and the competition, and then that little bit more,” she said.

“To be honest not many people expected me to come back with a medal from the worlds, I went there to make sure I qualified.

“To medal guaranteed my spot at the Games so in a sense I feel like the pressure is off now, I can go out and there and do what I do and perform.

“We are going in to the Games to do what we always do, it’s a huge event but at the end of the day it is still a tournament for us.

“And whatever tournament we go to we expect medals, Team GB is one of the best in the world so we are going there to do well and get medals.”

Jonas, and the other 35 female boxers competing, will all be making history this summer with London 2012 the first Olympics to see women enter the ring – and she is determined to enjoy the ride.

“Since 2009 when women’s boxing was added to the Olympics this has been a dream for me, I was already England no.1 by then, albeit it at a different weight,” she added.

“This is our first Olympics, we are the pioneers for women’s boxing so we need to make sure we enjoy ourselves, do our best and hopefully come back with a medal.”

© Sportsbeat 2012