Tokyo 2020 - Lauren Price advances to gold medal middleweight fight after narrow victory over Nouchka Fontijn
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Updated 06/08/2021 at 08:46 GMT
A one-point deduction in the second round looked like it might be costly but Lauren Price edged an engrossing contest, winning by split decision after two judges had to use their tiebreakers. The reigning world champion will face Li Qian of China for the gold medal. You want it? We have it. Stream every Olympic event live on discovery+.
‘She did just enough! - GB's Price advances to gold medal fight after split-decision
Great Britain's Lauren Price advanced to the gold medal final of the women's middleweight boxing with a narrow victory over Nouchka Fontijn of the Netherlands.
In a rematch of the 2019 World Championship final, Price produced a thrilling split decision victory in an exceptionally hard-fought clash.
Price had dramatically taken gold on that occasion on appeal after Fontijn had been awarded the win, and it was another outstanding bout between two evenly-matched fighters.
A one-point deduction in the second round looked like it may prove costly for the Welsh middleweight but she had the better of the final round on four of the judges scorecards.
That enabled Price to convince the two judges who had the scores level that she had had the better of things, with the Argentina and Moroccan judges using their tiebreakers in her favour.
It was disappointment again for Fontijn, who remains without a global gold medal.
The shorter, swifter Price ducked and weaved in her typically defensive style as the Dutch fighter struggled to land early punches, but Fontijn struck a couple of late first round blows to have three judges rule in her favour.
Price was then deducted a point midway through the second three-minute period and initially struggled to reset, but found a couple of quick late punches and had the better of it on the judges scorecards.
However her one-point deduction left Fontijn in front overall on four of them, including a 20-17 lead as the bell rang to start the final round.
Both fighters battled well in another even round but Price raised her arm in celebration as the last bell rung, confident that she had done enough.
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Lauren Price of Team Great Britain (red) exchanges punches with Nouchka Fontijn of Team Netherlands during the Women's Middle (69-75kg) Semifinal 1 on day fourteen of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Kokugikan Arena on August 06, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan.
Image credit: Getty Images
There were encouraging pats on the gloves in the Dutchwoman's corner, too, and Fontijn in actuality had more judges rule fully in her favour all told, with two judges awarding teh fight her way.
However the tiebreakers enabled Price to advance to have a chance at adding Olympic gold to her Commonwealth, European and World titles.
The former international footballer will face Li Qian of China in the final.
Qian, bronze medallist in this weight category in Rio de Janeiro in 2016, defeated Zenfira Magomedalieva of ROC in a unanimous decision.
The Russian had dropped down to middleweight having won world championships in both the heavy and light heavyweight classes, but could not land enough punches as Qian advanced to the final without losing a single round in Tokyo.
Great Britain have won four medals so far in the ring at Kokugikan Arena, but are yet to win gold.
Price's teammate Galal Yafai will face Carlo Paalam for the men's flyweight crown on Saturday 7 August, before Price goes for gold on the final day of competition at Tokyo 2020.
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