Nicola Adams OBE

One of the stars of the London 2012 Olympic Games, Nicola made history as the first ever woman to win a boxing gold medal. Her humility and down-to-earth nature made her a popular winner. She defended her title at Rio, securing another gold for Team GB before turning professional.

Boxing since the age of twelve, Nicola discovered the sport by accident when accompanying her mother to the gym. She appeared in her first bout at thirteen, but a lack of opponents and the developing nature of the sport meant she had to wait four years for her second fight. She quickly became English champion, defending her title on three occasions. Nicola went on to win silver at both the European and World Championships. She then became the inaugural British Champion and won gold in the European competition.

Struggling for funds to pursue her sport, Nicola worked variously as an extra on Coronation Street, Eastenders, and as a builder before the International Olympic Committee recognised boxing, allowing funding to be released. When she made her debut in the Olympic Games, Nicola went into the competition second favourite in her flyweight division. She progressed to the final but was very much the underdog facing the world number one and three-time world champion, Chinese fighter Ren Cancan. However, a superb match saw Nicola knock her opponent down and go on to win by a large points margin.

At Rio, Nicola secured a unanimous points decision over France’s Sarah Ourahmoune, taking gold and becoming Team GB’s first boxer to defend an Olympic title since 1924. Her victory helped Team GB overtake their London 2012 medal haul, making Great Britain the first nation to improve their performance immediately after having hosted the Games.

Since her elevation to star status Nicola has promoted boxing and sport to young people around the world, and has become a regular in the media. She has also spoke candidly about her personal and professional struggles and how her love for her sport and her irrepressible personality have won through.

As a member of the LGBT+ community, Nicola has long been a vocal supporter of inclusion and diversity, both in and out of sport. She has been named the most influential LGBT+ person in Britain in the Independent’s Pink List. She also became the first celebrity to perform in a same-sex couple on Strictly Come Dancing. The landmark move is a testament to Nicola’s transformative influence.