Hero’s welcome as Olympic gold medallist Price returns home

Boxer Lauren Price has received a hero’s welcome after she returned to her home town of Ystrad Mynach following her gold medal win at the Olympic games in Tokyo.

Crowds adorned Penallta Road waving Welsh flags to welcome back an emotional Price – who was greeted by her grandmother, Linda.

When Price was just three-days-old, she was taken in by her grandparents, who raised her and supported her lofty sporting ambitions.

Price, who is now 27-years-old, lived her Olympic dream and won gold after a comprehensive 5-0 victory over China’s Li Qian in the women’s middleweight final on Sunday, August 8.

She became the only the second British female boxer to win Olympic gold.

She dedicated her victory to her grandmother and late grandfather, Derek, who passed away last year.

Speaking to BBC Sport after the win, she said: “I can’t really put into words what they’ve done for me over the years, I just love them both so much.

“Big shout out to my nan, I can’t wait to see her and show my medal off.”

Price, who attended Heolddu Comprehensive School in Bargoed, marked her Olympic debut on July 28 with a 5-0 win over Mongolia’s Myagmarjargal Munkhbat in the last 16, before beating Panama’s Atheyna Bylon 5-0 on Saturday, July 31 to reach the semi-finals.

There, she beat Nouchka Fontijn, of the Netherlands, on a split decision to reach the final.

Before going into boxing full-time, Price played football for Cardiff City and won 52 caps for Wales. She also became world kickboxing champion aged 12, but switched from kickboxing to boxing aged 16.

Since deciding to concentrate fully on boxing, the former-taxi driver has been crowned European, World and now Olympic champion.

Price is the second Olympian from Caerphilly County Borough to win a medal for Team GB at the Tokyo Games, with Blackwood’s Lauren Williams winning silver in Taekwondo.

Speaking to the BBC earlier this year, Price’s grandmother said: “You just knew when she was young she was going to do something wonderful. It was in her.

“Lauren said she wanted to be a World Champion kickboxer, play football for Wales and she wants to go to the Olympics. The teacher laughed and I said you should never try to shatter their dreams.”