Double Olympic gold medallist Nicola Adams OBE has been released from her contract with GB Boxing and is free to pursue other career opportunities.
GB Boxing confirmed that Adams, Great Britain’s most successful-ever female boxer, has left the World Class Performance Programme and will not be part of the GB Boxing squad for the 2017- 21 Tokyo cycle.
Adams is a two-time Olympic champion having won flyweight gold at London 2012 and Rio 2016, while the latter victory, over Sarah Ourahmoune of France in the final, made her the first Team GB boxer since Harry Mallin in 1924 to retain an Olympic title.
It capped a triumphant year for Nicola in which she also won the World Championship for the first time when she defeated Peamwilai Laopeam of Thailand in the final in Astana, Kazakhstan.
That victory completed a career ‘grand slam’ of winning every major title available to her having previously triumphed at European Championships, the European Games and the Commonwealth Games.
Rob McCracken, Performance Director of GB Boxing, said: “Nicola has made a huge contribution to both the Olympic programme and the sport of boxing and I would like to thank her for everything she has done for GB Boxing since she joined the squad in 2010.
“She has won everything there is to win and her place in history is secured as the first women to ever win a gold medal for boxing and then top it by winning a second one in Rio.
“She is a superb ambassador and has been a significant part of the success we have enjoyed at GB Boxing in the last eight years.
“We would have welcomed Nicola staying on for the Tokyo cycle, however we recognise her decision to pursue other opportunities and wish her every success in whatever she goes on to do next. “Nicola will remain part of the GB Boxing family and will always receive a warm welcome whenever she visits our gym in Sheffield.”
Sportsbeat 2017