Welsh boxer Lauren Price has 'appetite for hard work' and 'will bring home gold' says former coach

Olympian Lauren Price stood out from the crowd, even aged as young as seven, according to her former kickboxing coach.

The Ystrad Mynach boxer has had an extremely successful debut Olympics, but it's not over just yet.

Price has guaranteed herself at least a silver medal in Tokyo after narrowly beating old rival Nouchka Fontijn of the Netherlands in the semi-finals.

However, Price's former kickboxing coach is convinced the 27-year-old will bring home the gold.

Head of Devils Martial Arts in Blackwood, Robert Taylor, said: "I think she can, her opponent is tall, she's rangy and that seems to suit Price's movement, so I think she can do it."

Looking back at her kickboxing career, Taylor said her work ethic set her apart from the rest at aged seven.

"She was training three or four times a week plus football and it was inevitable that, with her hard work and her appetite for it, she was going to do well.

"She does have quite a high pain threshold - she is very tough."

As well as her success in the ring, Price is a four-time youth world kickboxing champion and has 52 caps for Wales as a footballer.

However, she opted for boxing to pursue her Olympic dream.

Taylor said he wasn't disappointed with her decision.

"At some point they've got to spread their wings and find their way, and you know, we all love her at the club and we all wish her all the best in whatever she does."

The Welsh fighter will take on China's 2018 World Champion Li Qian in the women's middleweight finals on Sunday August 8.

Looking ahead to the fight, Price said: "I am into the final now and it is a dream come true. I am not stopping now - my aim is to win that gold. I am going to give it my all."