© 2024 MICHIGAN PUBLIC
91.7 Ann Arbor/Detroit 104.1 Grand Rapids 91.3 Port Huron 89.7 Lansing 91.1 Flint
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Flint's 'golden-girl' wins first bout in Rio Olympics

Flint residents paused today to watch local boxer Claressa Shields take to the ring at the Rio Olympics.
Steve Carmody
/
Michigan Radio
Flint residents paused today to watch local boxer Claressa Shields take to the ring at the Rio Olympics.

Flint boxer Claressa Shields returned to the Olympic boxing ring today with an overwhelming performance.

The defending Olympic women’s middleweight champion pummeled Russia’s Yaroslava Yakushina to easily win the quarterfinal bout.

Claressa Shields’ gold medal winning boxing career started in the basement of Flint’s Berston Field House.  That’s where dozens of people gathered to watch her first bout of the Rio games, including her mother Marcella Adams.

“I enjoy watching her box,” Adams said after the bout.   Adams says she no longer gets nervous watching her 21-year-old daughter in the ring.

Claressa Shields will be back in the ring Friday for her semi-final match against Kazakhstan’s Dariga Shakimova.       

Steve Carmody has been a reporter for Michigan Public since 2005. Steve previously worked at public radio and television stations in Florida, Oklahoma and Kentucky, and also has extensive experience in commercial broadcasting.
Related Content