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Middleweight boxer Lauren Price will be heading to Japan this summer after securing her place in Team GB’s squad for the Olympic Games.

Price, 26, from Ystrad Mynach, earned a unanimous point victory over Ukraine’s Anastasiia Chernokolenko in Paris on Saturday, June 5 to secure qualification.

After booking her place at the event, Price, who will be 27 when the Games begin, tweeted: “Your dreams really can come true. Thank you all for your love and support.”

A former footballer, Price played for Cardiff City and won 52 caps for Wales – making her international debut aged just 16.

But in 2014, Price switched to boxing – and has become the most decorated female boxer in the Team GB squad.

In 2019, Price, a former pupil at Heolddu Comprehensive in Bargoed, won gold at the European Games and another gold at the Women’s World Championships.

She also won gold at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia and bronze in the 2014 Commonwealth Games, which were held in Glasgow.

Since turning to boxing, Price has also won bronze at the 2016 European Championships, bronze at the 2018 Women’s European Championships and bronze at the 2018 Women’s World Championships.

The Olympics will be held in Tokyo between July 23 and August 8.

So far, ten Team GB boxers have qualified for this year’s Olympic Games.

The qualification tournament was meant to be held in London in March 2020, but was called off due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Meanwhile, taekwondo star Lauren Williams, from Blackwood, will also be heading to the Olympics this summer.