Double gold medallist Nicola Adams is set to turn professional at the age of 34 after being released from her contract with Britain's Olympic boxing programme on Monday.
GB Boxing said the first female Olympic boxing champion, who defended her 2012 flyweight title in Rio de Janeiro last year, would not be part of the squad working towards Tokyo 2020 and was free to pursue other career opportunities.
The only other woman to win two Olympic boxing golds, American middleweight Claressa Shields, made her professional debut last November.
Ireland's Katie Taylor, a lightweight gold medallist in 2012, has also turned professional.
“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,” said GB Boxing’s performance director Rob McCracken.
“She has won everything there is to win and her place in history is secured as the first woman to ever win a gold medal for boxing and then top it by winning a second one in Rio.”
“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,” he added.
–(Reuters)
