Nicola Adams

Adams was born in Leeds, West Yorkshire. She was educated at Agnes Stewart Church of England High School, Ebor Gardens, Leeds.[10][11] She also went to Hopwood Hall College in Rochdale.[12] In November 2012, she topped the list of The Independent's 101 most influential LGBT people in Britain for 2012.[13][14][15]

Adams fought (and won) her first bout at the age of 13, but it was four years before she found a second opponent.[16] In 2001, she became the first woman boxer ever to represent England, in a fight against an Irish boxer.[16] In 2003, she became English amateur champion for the first time,[5] and she retained the title at the next 3 championships.[16]

In 2007, Adams was the first English female to win a medal in a major tournament, taking Silver in the bantamweight (54kg) division at the European Championships in Denmark. She won Silver again at the world championships in Ningbo, China, in 2008. The following year she had to abstain from the sport for several months due to a back injury,[17] but she returned to success at the 2010 world championships in Bridgetown, Barbados,[18] taking Silver again, competing now at flyweight (51kg). Adams struggled to continue her boxing career due to lack of funds. She worked as an acting extra on soap operas such as Coronation Street, Emmerdale, and EastEnders, and worked as a builder before the International Olympic Committee backed funding for women’s boxing in 2009.[19]

In November 2010, Adams was victorious in the first ever GB Amateur Boxing Championship at the Echo Arena Liverpool.[20] In 2011, she won Gold at the European Union Amateur Boxing Championships in Katowice.[21] In July 2011, the BBC included Adams in a feature on "6 Promising Britons to watch in the Olympics".[22]

Nicola Adams (red) at the final of the European Games 2015 in Baku (Azerbaijan)

In the 2012 Summer Olympics, Adams defeated Mary Kom from India in the Flyweight semi-final.[23][24] She went on to defeat Chinese boxer and world number one Ren Cancan in the final to claim the first Olympic women's boxing Gold medal.[25]

At the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Adams knocked out Michaela Walsh of Northern Ireland to take the gold medal in the women's flyweight division on a split decision.[26][27]

At the 2016 Rio Olympic games Adams successfully defended her Olympic title, defeating Sarah Ourahmoune of France in the Final on 20 August.[28]

On 23 January 2017 it was confirmed that Adams had turned professional, having signed with promoter Frank Warren.[29]

Adams had a 40-36 points victory over Virginia Carcamo of Argentina in Adams' professional debut.[30]

Adams announced her retirement from boxing in November 2019.[31]

Honours

Postboxes on Cookridge Street in Leeds painted gold in honour of Adams' Olympic Gold medal win.

Year	Tournament	Venue	Result	Event
2007	European Amateur Championships	Vejle, Denmark	2nd	54 kg
2008	World Amateur Championship	Ningbo, People's Republic of China	2nd	54 kg
2010	World Amateur Championship	Bridgetown, Barbados	2nd	51 kg
2011	European Union Amateur Championships	Katowice, Poland	1st	51 kg
2011	European Amateur Championships	Rotterdam, the Netherlands	1st	51 kg
2012	World Amateur Championship	Qinhuangdao, China	2nd	51 kg
2012	Summer Olympics	London, United Kingdom	1st	51 kg
2013	European Union Amateur Championships	Keszthely, Hungary	1st	51 kg
2014	Commonwealth Games	Glasgow, United Kingdom	1st	51 kg
2015	European Games	Baku, Azerbaijan	1st	51 kg
2016	World Amateur Championship	Astana, Kazakhstan	1st	51 kg
2016	Summer Olympics	Rio de Janeiro, Brazil	1st	51 kg

In 2012, she became the first female boxer to receive an award from the Boxing Writers' Club of Great Britain.[32][32] Specifically, she was awarded the Joe Bromley Award for outstanding services to boxing.[32] She was also the first woman ever to be invited to the club's awards ceremony.[32]

She was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2013 New Year Honours for services to boxing[33][34] and Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2017 New Year Honours, also for services to boxing.[35]

In July 2015, she was awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws degree by the University of Leeds.[36] In November 2015, she was listed as one of BBC's 100 Women.[37]

In 2016, Adams was named Number One in the DIVA Power List of the UK's most eminent lesbian and bisexual women.

On 6 November 2019, Adams retired from boxing over fears for her eyesight. She said, "I've been advised that any further impact to my eye would most likely lead to irreparable damage and permanent vision loss."[39]

• 2012 Summer Olympics and Paralympics gold post boxes

• Boxing record for Nicola Adams from BoxRec
• Portraits of Nicola Adams at the National Portrait Gallery, London

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