Carly McNaul said she was taking inspiration from young son Jaden after securing Team Ni’s first medal in the ring. The Belfast boxer dominated her quarter-final clash with Sri Lanka’s Keshani Hansika on Wednesday to guarantee at least a bronze.
McNaul - a silver medallist four years ago at the Gold Coast - wants to go one better this time in Birmingham and will be full of confidence after outclassing her Asian opponent 5-0 in the quarter finals.
“I’m buzzing," beamed McNaul. "Obviously I’m here to win the gold medal not just a bronze medal, I was so happy with that performance it was much better that the last one.
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“The last time I said I was scrappy and I would put on a better performance and I did that.
“The first fight was a much higher pace and I just couldn’t get any of my shots off clean. The plan was to hit and just make it scrappy and the plan worked well and thankfully I came through it.
“In that performance I was able to get my clean shots off and do a bit of boxing and show people that I have a bit of skill and I was able to do stuff that I was working on throughout the training camp and I am very happy with that.”
McNaul will face Uganda’s Teddy Nakimuli who has yet to fight in Birmingham after getting a walkover into the semi-finals. The winner will earn a shot at the gold medal, and the Belfast fighter is hoping that being battle-hardened will help her against the African.
And she will have some added support from the crowd with 12-year-old son Jaden expected to be in attendance.
“Normally I get better as the fights go on," she added.
"I have two fights behind me and she doesn’t have any. I’m just looking forward to going on and putting on a good performance.
“To win a gold medal would mean everything to me. I’m doing this for my son Jaden he gives me the drive to keep going.
"He is coming out here to support me on Thursday and my family is coming as well.”
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