Wallsend boxer gunning for gold at Paris 2024

Adam Olaore will compete for heavyweight glory in Paris

Adam Olaore from Wallsend has qualified to box at this year’s Olympics - for Nigeria.

The 21-year-old moved to the UK aged 11, later settling in Newcastle from where he has been boxing competitively for the last seven years.

Unlike Team GB athletes who receive a stipend, he is relying on funds from family, friends and sponsors to support his journey.

The athlete is now hoping to fundraise enough to compete in key competitions before the Paris Olympics in July.

Olaore won the African Championship in 2023

In 2023, Olaore won the senior English National Amateur Championships, and within a month went on to win at the GB Three Nations Championships.

But it was his gold-winning performance at the All-Africa Heavyweight Boxing Championships in Senegal last year which automatically takes him to the final 16 in Paris. 

'Great heights'

The boxer is supported by his family and friends, but is now looking for additional sponsors to help him on his Olympic journey.

“There’s a more established set up here with (Team) GB than Nigeria - they don’t have that luxury at the moment.

"There’s multiple tournaments we want to do beforehand so we can get the experience before we hit the Olympics.

"Those cost quite a bit of money to get to; there's flights, accommodation, food."

If they raise enough, Olaore is hoping to compete at tournaments in Sheffield, Ghana, Colorado and The Netherlands to be fully prepared to take on the Olympics.

"We’re going to great stops, to great heights and the most important is the gold medal at the Olympics," he said.