Jahmal Harvey added a Pan Am gold medal to the gold he received on the 2021 World Championships. Photograph from USA Boxing
Heading into this summers Olympics, Jahmal Harvey is extensively thought-about America’s greatest hope of profitable a boxing medal.
The gifted 21-year-old from Oxon Hill, Maryland, who will probably be competing at featherweight (57 kilograms-125 kilos), welcomes the chance to attempt to develop into the primary American since Andre Ward in 2004 to say gold when he competes on the Paris Video games.
“I’m tremendous assured, I’m tremendous motivated and I’m coaching laborious,” Harvey informed The Ring. “I’m anticipating nothing lower than gold.
“There’s actually no stress, I’m not considering an excessive amount of about it. Sure, the gold is gold but when I didn’t get it, there actually isn’t any stress. I’m simply pleased I’m doing one thing with my life, making my household proud. No one can take away all of the years I’ve put in to come back to attain this aim. On the finish of the day, I’m doing this for myself, not all people else.”
The U.S. workforce, helmed by head-coach Billy Walsh, introduced a number of former Olympians to Colorado Springs to assist put together the workforce of eight, 4 males and 4 girl, for what to anticipate.
“I’ve been round Olympians on the Olympic coaching heart,” he stated. “We only recently had a household perform the place they introduced in previous Olympians, they introduced in Olympians courting again to 1996, 2000, 2004 and so forth. I’ve obtained good info from that. I spoke to Mikeala Mayer, Richard Torrez, Queen Underwood and so on.”
Harvey says these interactions have helped him and he has one specific takeaway from these conversations.
“Distractions was the largest factor,” he stated. “They stated be centered on the struggle, you don’t need exterior distractions, like tickets or the place your loved ones are staying. The Olympics is a lovely factor however you wish to keep centered.”
See You in Paris : The Dream of a Life Time #pais2024 #teamharvey 🇺🇸🙏🏽🥇 pic.twitter.com/NsSRYcLf9Z
— Jahmal “Laborious Rock “Harvey (@HarveyJahmal) November 1, 2023
Harvey, who’s at present 160-9 with 10 nationwide titles, is used to profitable, having taken high prize at different tournaments whereas representing his nation.
“As a youth I went to Bulgaria and obtained gold, after which I obtained gold within the World in my second event,” he stated confidently. “That’s been the usual for me to go on the market and get gold.
“That was nice, I had an incredible coaching camp for that. Going into it I used to be already in coaching camp for the 2020 Olympics, trigger it occurred in 2021, not 2020. I used to be in there sparring with Keyshawn Davis, Duke Ragan, I used to be sparring with lots of nice guys. It was a global coaching camp, so I used to be sparring with Australia, Jordan, so going into the World’s, I’d performed nice with them guys who had simply competed within the Olympics. I already had that kind of motivation being so younger, I may stick round with these guys.
“After I mirrored on that, I simply determined to remain [amateur.] I stated the one factor to do to raise it to get Olympic gold.”
When Ward received America’s final Olympic gold, Harvey was simply 2-years-old.
“That was a minute in the past! It undoubtedly would [be nice to match his achievement,]” he stated. “I’m attempting to deliver one again to the U.S. and get the American boxing again on high and present why we’re one of the best on the planet. I’ve an incredible workforce round me, we’re all coaching with one another, doing the identical factor, serving to one another get higher. This workforce is unquestionably going to shock the world.”
And if he may obtain that aim he’d put his title alongside extraordinarily illustrious countrymen similar to Muhammad Ali and Sugar Ray Leonard, who claimed Olympic gold.
“It might imply so much to me, my dream was to get to the Olympics, after that I’ve to get the gold,” he stated. “That’s a as soon as in a life time alternative that you simply had set again while you have been a young person. It might make me very pleased.
“That might be nice to place my title down with legends, mark me down within the historical past books for years and years to come back.”
Regardless, whereas sooner or later he hopes to show skilled, he’s not trying that far forward but.
“I don’t know what I’m going to do after the Olympics,” he stated. “Someday, I do look to go professional.”
Questions and/or feedback might be despatched to Anson at [email protected].
