Natasha Jonas is one of seven female boxers competing for three places in Britain’s Olympic team. Photograph: Andrew Matthews/PA Wire/Press Association Images
Progress towards 2012
I’ve been in great form all year, but to win gold at the European championships this year was one of the proudest moments of my career. I’d done it before in 2009 but to do it in the year before the Olympics was even better because it showed I was hitting form at just the right time.
Fighting as a light-welterweight is OK because I get to eat a bit more. I’m comfortable as either a lightweight or light-welterweight and I’ve been working with the nutritionists here to make sure I make the 64kg limit in the right way, eat the right things and ensure that the weight I put on will help me in the ring when it comes time to fight.
Of course there is competition for the Olympic spot. Only one of us will go at in my weight category to the Olympics and the likes of Chantelle Cameron and Amanda Coulson will be fighting hard for the place as well. But there’s a great spirit between all of us here, all the girls have come on loads during the past few months and I’m sure that whoever goes to the Olympics will do us proud.
The support staff here are incredible. We’ve got the best coaches in the country and our sports science team will give you specific workouts to help you train whatever you feel you need – they’ve helped me with my strength in particular and I can really feel the benefits
Biography
Born 18 June 1984, Liverpool
Educated Weatherhead High School, Wirral
Favourite TV show Lie to Me on BBC1. I can’t stand the X Factor or Strictly Come Dancing though, I must be the only person in the country who doesn’t watch either
Favourite film I’m into ghost films and thrillers, so I really like The Others and Sleepers. I’m quite into ghosts and things like that, but I’d never go on one of those ghost-hunting shows
If I hadn’t been a boxer … I’d have tried to get back into football. I used to play for Liverpool Ladies and had trials for England Under-18s
Training
We train at the English Institute of Sport from Monday to Thursday. On a typical day we get up at 7.30am, have a weigh-in and go to the track. We’ll run and then head back to wherever we’re staying for breakfast. Then we’ll do some pad work and then strength and conditioning. After lunch we’ll spar and do a few circuits until 3.30pm
Key statistics
2005 Jonas starts her boxing career in a bid to lose weight, having previously competed in karate and football
2007 Wins her first Amateur Boxing Association of England title. She has gone on to win it a further three times
2009 Wins her first gold at the European Union Championships, boxing at lightweight
2011 Wins her second gold medal at the European Championships. Tipped for a medal at the 2012 Olympics
Countdown to 2012
16-23 Oct2011 European Boxing Championships, Rotterdam, Netherlands
11-12 Nov 2011 Great Britain Amateur Boxing Championships, Liverpool
26-28 Nov 2011 London 2012 test event, ExCeL Arena, London
May 2012 Women’s World Championships, Chongqing, China (Olympic qualifying event)
27 July 2012 Olympic opening ceremony
28 July 2012 Olympic boxing tournament starts, ExCeL Arena, London
In numbers
3 Women’s weight categories included in the 2012 Olympic and Paralympics Games – 51kg, 60kg and 75kg
7 Number of female boxers competing for three places in the Great Britain team at London 2012
49 Boxing medals won by Great Britain at the Olympics. Fourteen of the medals have been gold
Venue
The ExCeL will also host the fencing, judo, table tennis and weightlifting competitions
