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Boxer Lauren Price has reached the Olympic final and is now guaranteed at least a silver medal.

Price, 27, from Ystrad Mynach, edged out Nouchka Fontijn of the Netherlands on a split decision on Friday, August 6 to reach the women’s middleweight final.

Price won the tie despite being docked a point in the second round for excessive holding.

Price will take on 2018 World Champion Li Qian, of China, in the final at 6.45am on Sunday, August 8.

Speaking to the BBC after her win, Price said: “It’s mad. I can’t really quite believe it, I’ve got to pinch myself, but what a fight.

“I knew it was going to be close obviously, we’re the top two in the world and it’s the same every time.

“She was 3-2 up in the first round and I just had to go out there and I won the second round 3-2, even though I had a point off.

“I knew I needed a big last round and then I dug deep and stuck to my boxing. It doesn’t get harder than that – she’s a very experienced girl and I knew it was going to be a close fight.”

She added: “I’m just over the moon to be in the final.”

Price 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.

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.

Last week, Blackwood’s Lauren Williams, 22, won an Olympic silver medal in Taekwondo.