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'I'm writing my chapter in history': 21-year-old boxer to represent Team USA in 2024 Olympics

'I'm writing my chapter in history': 21-year-old boxer to represent Team USA in 2024 Olympics
Years since *** male USA boxer has medaled on the Olympic stage. Well, this summer one Orlando native is hoping to change that. Sports. Kristen Lago sat down with 21 year old Omari Jones, who wants to become the new face of us. Boxing in boxing as in life, you fall down, you get back up again and perhaps no one knows that better than 21 year old Amari Jones. I feel like I've been hit so many times in life inside the ring, of course, and uh outside the ring. But for me especially, uh I just had to make sure that I got over every hurdle in life to make sure my dream came true. Fighting for *** dream. He's known was his for *** long, long time. That was Amari at eight years old. Speaking his goals into existence now, 13 years later, yeah, he's still in the ring, but he stands there in Olympian. Somebody sent me the percentages of how, uh, you know how often it is is for an American to become an Olympian and it's like *** very, very small amount. So for me to be mentioned, along with some of the greats. Uh, that's done it before me and that's currently doing it. It's like, uh, I'm writing my chapter in history right now. The Orlando native first got into boxing after *** stint with karate, he loved the contact, the discipline that boxing provided. But it wasn't until he became *** teenager that he realized the sport was becoming much more than just *** hobby. And that's when I started saying things like, all right, we're gonna go ahead and make this Olympic run. He began training 2 to 3 times *** day, started fighting in national events and got himself *** place in the team USA network. Oh, yeah. And this was all while he was still in high school chasing that for 13 years. I mean, I miss prom, I miss parties *** lot of events and I even miss family because I'm always going *** lot. The sacrifice though was always worth it because he knew the reward. And this last March, it all came to fruition Jones taking down India's Nasha Dev at the world qualifying tournament in Italy, Paris 2024. Now in his sights, the first thought was I did it. Uh I screamed to the camera, I told y'all and I just screamed just letting out all the stress and work that I put in to prove to myself first before I, I prove to anybody that, uh, your, your goal and dreams is tangible because at his core, that's the message Jones has always wanted to stand for never quitting, never staying down. But the kids in Orlando and kids around the world that's looking and watching, you know, it was, it was for them as well that, you know, whatever you strive for is possible. Omari Jones, the Olympian now carrying the torch for others to follow on the road to Paris. I'm Kristen Lo.
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'I'm writing my chapter in history': 21-year-old boxer to represent Team USA in 2024 Olympics
In boxing, as in life, you fall down, you get back up again. Perhaps no one knows that better than 21-year-old Omari Jones.“I feel like I've been hit so many times in life, inside the ring, of course, and outside the ring as well,” Jones said. “I just had to make sure that I got over every hurdle in life to make sure my dream came true.”Jones stepped into the ring at just 8 years old, and 13 years later, he was still here, but he stood there as an Olympian.“Somebody sent me the percentages of how often it is for an American to become an Olympian, and it's a very, very small amount,” Jones said.“For me to be mentioned along with some of the greats that have done it before me and that are currently doing it, it's like I’m writing my chapter in history right now.”The Orlando native first got into boxing after a stint with karate. He loved the contact and the discipline that boxing provided.But it wasn’t until he became a teenager that he realized the sport was becoming much more than just a hobby.“That's when I started saying things like, ‘All right, we're going to go ahead and make this Olympic run,’” Jones said.He began training two to three times a day, started fighting in national events, and got himself a place on Team USA’s radar.All of this while he was still in high school.“Chasing that for 13 years was a sacrifice,” Jones said. “I missed prom, I missed parties, a lot of events, and I even missed family because I was always gone.”The sacrifice was always worth it because he knew the reward.This past March, it all came to fruition as Jones took down India’s Nishant Dev at the World Qualifying Tournament in Italy. Paris 2024 was now in his sights.“The first thought was I did it,” Jones said.“I screamed to the camera, ‘I told y'all.’ And I just screamed, just letting out all the stress and work that I put in to prove to myself first before I prove to anybody that your goal and dreams are tangible,” Jones said.At his core, that’s the message Jones has always wanted to stand for: never quitting, never staying down.“For the kids in Orlando and kids around the world that are looking and watching, it was it was for them as well. Whatever you strive for is possible,” Jones said.Jones is seeking to become the first American boxer in the last two decades to return home with a medal.

In boxing, as in life, you fall down, you get back up again. Perhaps no one knows that better than 21-year-old Omari Jones.

“I feel like I've been hit so many times in life, inside the ring, of course, and outside the ring as well,” Jones said. “I just had to make sure that I got over every hurdle in life to make sure my dream came true.”

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Jones stepped into the ring at just 8 years old, and 13 years later, he was still here, but he stood there as an Olympian.

“Somebody sent me the percentages of how often it is for an American to become an Olympian, and it's a very, very small amount,” Jones said.“For me to be mentioned along with some of the greats that have done it before me and that are currently doing it, it's like I’m writing my chapter in history right now.”

The Orlando native first got into boxing after a stint with karate. He loved the contact and the discipline that boxing provided.

But it wasn’t until he became a teenager that he realized the sport was becoming much more than just a hobby.

“That's when I started saying things like, ‘All right, we're going to go ahead and make this Olympic run,’” Jones said.

He began training two to three times a day, started fighting in national events, and got himself a place on Team USA’s radar.

All of this while he was still in high school.

“Chasing that for 13 years was a sacrifice,” Jones said. “I missed prom, I missed parties, a lot of events, and I even missed family because I was always gone.”

The sacrifice was always worth it because he knew the reward.

This past March, it all came to fruition as Jones took down India’s Nishant Dev at the World Qualifying Tournament in Italy. Paris 2024 was now in his sights.

“The first thought was I did it,” Jones said.

“I screamed to the camera, ‘I told y'all.’ And I just screamed, just letting out all the stress and work that I put in to prove to myself first before I prove to anybody that your goal and dreams are tangible,” Jones said.

At his core, that’s the message Jones has always wanted to stand for: never quitting, never staying down.

“For the kids in Orlando and kids around the world that are looking and watching, it was it was for them as well. Whatever you strive for is possible,” Jones said.

Jones is seeking to become the first American boxer in the last two decades to return home with a medal.