In summer 2012, Marlen Esparza of Houston, Queen Underwood of Seattle, and Claressa Shields of Flint, Michigan joined 33 others from around the world to fight it out for the first Olympic medals in women's boxing.
My heroine, Claressa Shields
With the inclusion of women's boxing, London 2012 became the first Games in history in which women competed in all sports.
Back when I was boxing, there was nowhere to go but the pros. And no money in the pros. The Olympic status gives girls a prize worth fighting for.
I was lucky enough to work for CNBC during the Games, doing research and writing for their boxing show. Here I am in the studio with anchor Fred Roggin and color commentator BJ Flores. 30 Rock is a long way from London, but I still felt connected to the emotion in the ExCeL Center, especially when Claressa Shields took gold.
My coverage of the three tournaments leading up to the Games included seven Huffposts from the US Olympic Trials in Spokane, four posts from the Americas Championships in Cornwall, four posts from the World Championships in China, and some profiles and live updates on WNYC's Women Box page.
OLYMPIC TRIALS, SPOKANE, WASHINGTON
Day 1: The Draw
Day 2: What Boxing Needs
Day 3: Boxing Love
Day 4: The Trainers
Day 5: Weigh In
Day 6: The Kalispel Tribe
Day 7: Parting Shots
AMERICAS CONTINENTAL CHAMPIONSHIPS, CORNWALL, ONTARIO
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS, QINHUANGDAO
Huffington Post:
First Impressions
Round of Sixteen
Continental Quotas
The Loss of Mr. Sai's Horse
Photo by David Bluff. Claressa Shields, blue. Franchon Crews, red.
Photo by Igor Cruz. The best US women's boxing team ever.
Photo by Sue Jaye Johnson. Tiara Jones winning featherweight gold in Qinhuangdao.
