The World’s First Ever Women’s
Boxing Gold Medallist at the London
2012 Olympic Games & Glasgow
2014 Commonwealth Games
Nicola is Great Britain’s most
decorated female boxer.
She was the first ever English
female to earn a medal in a major tournament at the European Championships in
2007 winning silver. Then in 2011, she won Great Britain’s first ever gold.
Nicola was also the first English woman to be awarded a medal in the 2008 AIBA
Women’s World Championships.
Despite suffering a
career-threatening back injury in 2009, Nicola was selected to be part of the
new GB women’s boxing squad and qualified to compete at the London 2012 Games
by winning her third silver medal at the World Championships in 2011.
Nicola made history when she beat
three-time world Champion, China’s Ren Cancan, at the London 2012 Olympic
Games. She unintentionally became an inspiring role model having realised her
dream as millions of people watched to see top female boxers compete for the
first gold medal ever to be on offer.
In recognition of her services to
boxing and unprecedented achievement, Nicola was appointed Member of the Order
of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2013 New Year’s Honours list.
In 2014, with the world’s eyes on
her at the Commonwealth Games, she beat Northern Ireland’s Michaela Walsh to
become a history-maker once again. Unknown to her opponents, Nicola had
silently powered through each round following months of an agonising shoulder
injury.
Through several initiatives and
organisations, Nicola has encouraged people of all ages and abilities to join
their local sports clubs, enjoy the benefits this brings whilst promoting
living a healthy and well-balanced lifestyle. She has worked with charities and
strives to raise awareness of young people and women in sport and boxing.
Nicola has enjoyed acting; she
appeared as an extra in some of Britain’s iconic soaps, including, Coronation
Street and Emmerdale, and had a cameo appearance in the BBC’s award-winning
drama series, Waterloo Road, where she played herself (October 2013).