Mother floored by boxer's gold

Great Britain's Luke Campbell, left, wins against Ireland's John Joe Nevin at the ExCeL arena in London

Great Britain's Luke Campbell celebrates after winning gold against Ireland's John Joe Nevin

Published: 9:26pm, 11th August 2012
Updated: 11:32pm, 11th August 2012

Golden boy Luke Campbell left his mother shaking like a leaf after boxing his way to Olympic glory.

Jill Campbell, 53, who told her little boy to "find a safer sport" after he first picked up the gloves as a 12-year-old, was at ringside to see him strike gold for Team GB.

The Hull boxer, 24, brought the house down after out-pointing Irish traveller John Joe Nevin in the bantamweight competition.

Campbell raised his hands in victory - then promptly burst into tears as 10,000 ecstatic fans chanted his name.

"I was shaking from head to foot and I still am," Mrs Campbell said. "At the moment it just feels amazing. To see him up there on the podium, it just felt so unreal, like it was happening to somebody else."

Mrs Campbell said her husband Barney, 54, was unwell with a serious back problem so could not travel to watch his son win gold - but got a call from his wife as soon as their son triumphed.

"He said, 'I told you. I told you all, his day would come'," Mrs Campbell added. "He has always believed in him, straight from the start he always said, 'Luke, one day, will be stood there with a gold medal'."

Mrs Campbell, who has two other sons, Kane, 23 and Christopher, 32, and a daughter Kirsty, added: "He's got such a talent. His whole presence, he's calm, collected and he thinks about things. He doesn't rush into anything."

After saluting the cheering home fans Campbell left the ring to embrace girlfriend Lynsey Kraanen, the mother of his 18-month-old son Leo. The couple are expecting another child as she is almost six months pregnant.

Ms Kraanen, 24, said: "This morning I was really emotional and scared about him getting in the ring, then all of a sudden we all got this amazing confidence. We all feel on top of the world. We are going to have a really big party for him next Friday."