Claressa Shields is Ready to Win Gold Again

Claressa Shields is ready to win gold in Rio after her history-making performance at the 2012 London Olympic Games.

Claressa Shields did not have an easy life. Her father was in prison from the time she was two to nine years old. She lived in almost a dozen homes by the time she was 11 years old. She grew up in about the most abject form of poverty one can experience in America inside Flint, Michigan. Shields was dealt a bad hand at birth, but despite it all, managed to become one of the United States’ most promising young athletes. Four years since her historic victory in London, Claressa Shields is ready to win gold again.

Claressa Shields began boxing at the age of 11 after her father told her a story about Laila Ali, one of America’s most famous woman boxers. She began training at the Berston Field House in her hometown of Flint, and quickly gained a reputation as a fierce and talented boxer.

Shields’ first major success in boxing came at the Junior Olympic Championships where she made US gambling news by winning the gold medal. She followed that up with another gold at the National Police Athletic League Championship, and qualified for the 2012 Olympic Trials. Shields accumulated a 26-1 record by this time, and secured her spot in the middleweight bracket of the London Olympic Games.

Shields makes history in London

Claressa Shields entered the 2012 Olympic Games at just 17 years of age, much younger than the majority of her opponents. In her first bout, she took on Anna Laurell of Sweden. Shields won the bout handily, defeating her opponent 18-14 to move into the semi-finals. In her next fight, she faced experienced Kazakhstani boxer Marina Volnova. Shields put on an ever better performance, defeating Volnova 29-15.

Shields faced her toughest opponent in the finals against Russian Nadezda Torlopova. Torlopova ran through her opponents in the tournament as well, and was seen by many as the favorite to win gold. The American had other plans, and skillfully boxed her way to a 19-12 victory, becoming the first female in US history win an Olympic gold medal in boxing.

Claressa Shields has now fought her way to another Olympic Games, this time in Rio de Janeiro. She is no longer seen as an underdog, and is considered one of America’s most promising athletes to win gold. Claressa Shields is ready to make history again, and she seems likely to do it.

What do you think? Claressa Shields is ready to win gold again, but can she repeat her performance in London? Leave your comments below, and make sure to check out GamingZion’s list of online sportsbooks in the US to find the best sites to bet on the 2016 Olympic Games!