A FORMER Solihull Jaguar Land Rover factory worker has been crowned flyweight boxing Olympic champion.
Galal Yafai had a dramatic start to his bout when he knocked Carlo Paalam of the Philippines to the canvas before taking the 4-1 victory to win gold at the Tokyo Olympics.
Before that the former Solihull College pupil toppled the Cuban favourite Yosvany Veitia in the quarter finals.
The six podium finishes in the sport means Galal forms part of the most successful British Olympic Boxing Team since Antwerp 1920.
Speaking to Team GB Galal said: “Being Olympic champion is something I’ve always wanted to do. I’ve worked hard, I took up boxing and thank god it worked out for me.
“If someone had told me I’d be Olympic champion when I was working at Land Rover six years ago, I’d laugh at them.
“But to be fair all the coaches tell me, ‘Galal you’re going to be Olympic champion’ and I say ‘no chance’, I’d just say ‘na’ they’re just saying that to be nice to me, they’re my coaches. They were right.”
The 28-year-old has achieved his life-long dream less than six years since he quit his job on the factory floor and joined GB boxing in 2015.
Less than 10 months after throwing the the towel at the car manufacturer Galal was in the ring at the Rio 2016 Olympics where he lost his match in the final 16.
