5 Reasons to Root for Bisexual British Boxer Nicola Adams at the Olympics

Photo: Instagram (@nicolaadamsmbe)

If out British boxer Nicola Adams isn’t already on your radar, she should be. Adams won the gold medal at the 2012 London Olympics, and is determined to defend her title this year. She was narrowly passed up to be Great Britain’s flag bearer at the opening ceremony. She would’ve been the first black athlete from the U.K. to do so, but flag bearer wouldn't have been Adams's only first. She was also the first out LGBT athlete to win the gold medal in boxing, and the first woman from Great Britain to win the gold in boxing. As a huge supporter of girls in the usually male-dominated sport, and a proud bisexual woman, Adams is worth rooting for no matter what country you’re from. Here are five reasons to cheer her on in Rio.

1) She’s out, proud, and fearless

Nicola Adams is openly bisexual, which provides some much needed bi representation in the Olympic Games. Adams discussed her sexual orientation with Vogue, saying, "No one’s ever really cared about me being bisexual and I only came out because I had always been out, it’s just the general public didn’t know. I’m quite fearless. I’m like, ‘Let’s just go out there and do this and see what happens.'"

2) She’s a fighter in and outside the ring

Nicola Adams doesn’t just take on her opponents inside the ring. She also had to fight against sexism in the sport, injuries, and poverty. Before winning the gold in the 2012 Olympics, Adams smashed her vertebrae in a fall and nearly missed the try-outs. Adams grew up in a Leeds council estate, and wore the same tracksuit for four years while training for the 2012 Olympics because she couldn’t afford another one. She’s also a huge supporter of women in the traditionally male-dominated sport, saying, "It's really nice to see so many girls taking part in boxing – the sport I enjoy and love so much."

3) A gold medal win would be epic

Nicola Adams won gold in the 2012 Olympics, and if she wins gold again in Rio she’ll be the first British boxer since Harry Mallin in 1924 to defend her title. She’s also the first openly LGBT person to win an Olympic gold medal in boxing, and the first woman from Great Britain to win the gold. A second gold medal for Nicola Adams isn’t just history making for Great Britain; it’s also a major win for LGBT people and women in boxing.

4) The way she talks about her mum will make you love her even more

"I wanted to do something to impress my mum. I wanted to be a champion and for her to be able to say, ‘That’s my daughter,'" says Adams. She credits her mother as a major supporter of her success in the ring, sharing that her mom, "can't believe how far I've come from her taking me to the gym, driving me up and down and washing the training gear day in, day out." How awesome are supportive moms?

5) She loves her fans

Nicola Adams has an active presence on Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat (@NicolaAdmsMBE) where fans can stay up to date on her training, events, and adorable pictures of her dogs. When she was asked if she ever gets annoyed by fans asking for a photograph or autograph, she says, "Not at all. It comes with the territory." But the best thing about being a Nicola Adams fan might just be that you’re rooting for a winner.

Tune in on August 16th to watch Nicola in the women's flyweight quarterfinals.