It’s a knockout: Welcome overwhelms boxing gold medallist

Thousands of cheering fans welcomed Olympic boxing hero Luke Campbell home to Hull and the gold medallist said he was “overwhelmed” by the support.

Queen Victoria Square in the city centre was packed as sports fans crowded in to show their appreciation for the “Hullympians”, the city’s only gold medallist at London 2012 and hammer finalist Alex Smith, who were also guests of honour at a special civic dinner.

When Campbell stepped out on to the balcony of City Hall, draped in a Union Flag, there was a deafening scream from below, with even more cheers as he was joined by his family, including partner Lynsey and two-year-old son Leo.

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Bantamweight Campbell, 24, made his mark on history when he beat Ireland’s John Joe Nevin in the final on Saturday night to clinch gold.

He said his victory “did not seem real just yet” and added: “All these emotions. Feeling them’s one thing but describing them’s another.

“I’m very overwhelmed and taken back. The support that’s been here is fantastic. I’ve always been proud of my town and the people in it.”

Smith said he was amazed at the reaction. “It’s pretty crazy, really, to come here and it’s all for me and Luke. It’s surreal.

“I left Hull just a normal person. I threw hammers around in field and I was on my way to the Olympics and, now, to come to all this, it’s brilliant.”

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