Paris: Robson Conceicao said he felt like he was still in a dream after he became the first Brazilian to win Olympic boxing gold on Tuesday in front of an exhilarated Rio crowd.

Brazil’s Robson Conceicao bites his gold medal for the men’s lightweight 60-kg final boxing.

The man who sold vegetables and popsicles on the streets as an impoverished child is now a national hero after he defeated Frenchman Sofiane Oumiha on unanimous points in a thrilling lightweight final showdown.

The 27-year-old, who previously said that growing up he once feigned an arm injury so he could get hospital treatment and then used the bandages to tape his hands for boxing training, was a deserved winner after another day of judging controversy in Rio.

“My life has changed with this, this is an incredible moment in my life,” he told reporters.

“I had a very difficult upbringing so this medal is not only a success for myself but a success for my family and all those people who took me to training, ever since I was a young boy.

“I am an Olympic champion so my life has changed for ever. It was an amazing crowd… an amazing day.”

Brazil had only ever won one silver and three bronze boxing medals before Conceicao’s heroics and he said the title was a gift to his daughter, who will be two on Friday.

“I will tell her that she was my biggest inspiration and that I wanted to give her the biggest gift that I could give her,” he said.

Source From : firstpost.com