Gold
medalist Claressa Maria Shields of the United States poses on the
podium during the medal ceremony for the Women's Boxing Middle (69-75kg)
on Day 16 of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at Riocentro - Pavilion 6 on
August 21, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Claressa Shields has made history.
At
the 2016 Olympic Games the 21-year-old became the first US boxer --
male or female -- to win back-to-back gold medals. Her record now stands
at 77-1, after defeating the Netherlands' Nouchka Fontijn in a
unanimous decision.
Claressa Maria Shields, right, reacts as she won her gold medal for the women's middleweight 75-kg boxing.
Shields is from Flint, Michigan, a city whose water crisis thrust it into the national spotlight.
Despite
its challenges, her hometown of Flint has been one of her biggest
support systems. Shields is moving to Florida later this year, but
returned to Flint this week to thank the community. After Rio, we talked
to Shields about boxing, Flint and her gold medals.
How did your hometown help you become a boxer and an athlete?
Female Olympic boxer punches for gold 02:49
I
started boxing when I was 11. When I walked into the gym, that's the
first place that I felt accepted. Before then, in my life, I always felt
like I was always in a dark place and that I never really fit in
anywhere, and that I had nothing to be happy about in my life.
I
was always very athletic. I played basketball; I played softball; I ran
track. But boxing was the sport that I felt most at home ... and it's
what helped me find God. It helped me learn how to control my anger, and
it helped me become the person that I am.
When
I walked in the gym everybody was working hard. Everybody was sweating,
everybody was in pain. When I decided to start, it was all boys in the
gym.
What was it like being the only girl?
When
I first went to the gym, there was only one guy who verbally said to me
that women shouldn't box or that a girl shouldn't be [there]. And that
was the first guy I beat up at the gym!
What does it mean to you to represent Flint and your country?
Right
now, representing Flint means the world to me. We're going through so
much as a community. It's just so much bad news around.
But
whenever you hear Claressa Shields' name, you hear about good news and
how I'm bringing more attention to Flint, and how I'm bringing so much
hope to the people.
Some of the
things going on can make you feel hopeless. With the water, the gun
violence, and the poverty level -- it's just so much darkness around.
When you see just a little bit of light, people can run with it. I just
hope that I bring the city together, even if it's just for three big
fights, or if it's 10 minutes.
Claressa Shields celebrates victory over Nouchka Fontijn.
Why are you going back?
Because
I know everybody there was rooting for me. And my whole goal is to let
them know that even though I am this worldwide celebrity now, I am still
from Flint. I still represent Flint and I will always come back to help
in any way that I can.
Even though I haven't lived there in over a year, that is where I have the most support. They need to see me.
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