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FOSHAN, GUANGDONG - It was not Ren Cancan's first major title, but she said claiming the first-ever gold medal in women's boxing at the Asian Games on Thursday was a career highlight.
"I feel extremely happy now because this is the first time women's boxing has been included at the Asian Games and this is the first gold medal. It is just so great to be the first one," said China's Ren after defeating Annie Albania 7-5 in the flyweight final.
Indian Mary Kom and Japan's Aya Shinmoto took the bronze medals.
Women's boxing was included at the 2012 London Olympics last August in three categories - flyweight, lightweight and middleweight. The competition in Guangzhou marked its debut in the same classes.
"In the past, women's boxing was not included in the Olympics Games or Asian Games and a lot of people couldn't see a bright future for it," said Ren, a gold medalist at this year's World Championships.
"Finally, we can also stand on the highest podium and enjoy the attention like the athletes in other events. All of that effort and pain has started to pay off."
Starting as a track-and-field athlete at the age of 16, the Shandong native switched to boxing a few months later. Although a lot of people around her hadn't heard of women's boxing at that time, she fell in love with the sport.
"I just loved boxing when I first tried it. Some people think it's a very brutal game. I don't agree. I regard the ring as the best stage to show myself. I feel excited and free in it," said the 22-year-old.
However, there were two times she almost gave up boxing. One was in late 2005 when she broke her left arm. The other was when her father died, which made her depressed for a long time.
"I really thought of quitting at those times. My mother also didn't want me to continue. But my coach, Tian Dong, said I could still come back," the policewoman said. "To be frank, I was not sure about my future, but once I stepped back in the ring, I knew it was right."
For a long time, Chinese boxers lived in obscurity.
That was until Zou Shiming won the country's first boxing medal by finishing third in the light flyweight division at the 2004 Athens Games.
He then became a national icon after claiming gold on home soil four years later, while compatriot Zhang Xiaoping won the light heavyweight crown.
"We should thank the Chinese men's boxers for winning Olympic gold. That success drew more attention from the public and helped people better understand the sport," Ren said.
"Now I have my chance too. I'm looking forward to being the first female Chinese boxer to win an Olympic gold in London. I'll work hard to make it happen."
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