Natasha Gale was struggling to contain her delight at being crowned European middleweight champion in her first major international tournament.
The 28-year-old faced off against Maily Nicar of France in the Women’s European Boxing Championships final in Sofia.
And Gale ensured to mark her first appearance at a major championship in style as she won by unanimous decision to claim the gold medal.
It emulated the achievement of fellow Leeds boxer Nicola Adams who is the only other women from Great Britain to win the European title, having done so in Rotterdam in 2011.
Gale said: “It has been a fantastic experience here with the team. I have enjoyed it so much and to win the gold is just amazing. It makes all of the hard work and sacrifice worth it.
“To be European Champion this early in my career is incredible; I am still learning and am so excited for what is still to come.”
Gale’s gold capped a very successful tournament for GB Boxing as three of four boxers returned home with a medal.
All three came in the Olympic weight classes as Lisa Whiteside and Sandy Ryan took bronze at flyweight and lightweight respectively to go with Gale’s gold.
It means in the Rio Olympic cycle, women from the GB Boxing squad have won 11 medals at six major international tournaments, including the Olympic Games where Adams won her second gold.
GB Boxing’s performance director Rob McCracken said: “Natasha has done brilliantly and to win the European Championship in her first major tournament is a great achievement. She listened to the coaches and stuck to the tactics and has got her reward.
“Winning three medals is a very good performance by the whole and team and augurs well for the future of the world class performance programme as we head into the Tokyo cycle.
“To win a medal in each of the Olympic weight classes, when we have not brought any of our Rio boxers to this tournament, is a superb achievement and a sign of the strength in depth we are developing in the women’s boxing programme.”
Sportsbeat 2016