Eccles eyes medals 'trilogy' in Games farewell

“For me this is very sentimental, it’s about Wales, my people, my team and giving us all that one last little stab at something when it’s a bit hard.”

With two Commonwealth medals and an Olympic Games on the CV, Rosie Eccles would be forgiven for walking away from boxing after significant injury battles.

Having left the GB set up in March, Eccles is determined to complete her Commonwealth Games “trilogy” in Glasgow on a high as she targets a third medal.

The Caldicot light-middleweight, who turned 30 on the day she carried the Welsh flag at the opening ceremony in Glasgow, says she has “more fire than ever” as she aims to repeat her gold medal in Birmingham.

“It’s always been the aim. Nobody has retained that title so it’s a little bit of history for me,” she said.

“It’s very likely to be my last ever tournament as I’m likely to be retiring after these Games and hopefully on a massive high as well.”

Eccles joined the full-time Welsh Boxing programme aged 18 while studying at Cardiff Metropolitan University for her degree and masters, fuelled by lofty goals.

“I started because of the Olympic dream but the Commonwealths has become my real love, that sense of home, of wales and representing your nation,” she said.

“To be going third Games is absolutely crazy [and] it feels like the right way for me to finish.”

With back and knee injuries and “horrendous” nerve damage linked to coronavirus, Eccles has shown remarkable resolve to keep going.

“The nerve damage was the invisible killer. You can’t see it,” she said.

“The first time it happened it took me nine months to come back. I lost 90% function in my right arm and then it came back before the Olympic qualifier three years later.

“For me it was more the mental battle, I’d become so hard headed like I can overcome anything.”

Eccles has paid tribute to the Welsh Boxing set up behind helping her battle through the setbacks to be at her best for Glasgow.

“It’s always been a team effort but this is probably the biggest team effort to get here,” she said.

“People would have written me off last year with this knee injury and I’d never be here as a contender to win without Colin Jones [heads coach] and Adam Park [performance director] getting the best out of my body.”

Rosie Eccles joined the full-time Welsh Boxing set-up when she 18-years-old [BBC Sport]

Jones became the youngest British boxer to fight at the Olympics in 1976 when he competed in Montreal at 17 years old and four months.

He says Eccles’ mentality helped her to negotiate her challenges, not least the latest “nasty” knee injury and subsequent surgery.

“We weren’t sure whether she was going to box again, but Rosie is the type of person who will never lay down to anything that gets in her way,” he said.

“Nothing is too much, no run is too long and no mountain is too steep.

“She knows how to push through and has come away with gold in the last two tournaments in Europe, which were big achievements.”

Eccles says she has always wanted to go about doing things the right way despite her setbacks.

“I didn’t reach my absolute aim of Olympic gold and sometimes I have those days I [ask] if I have underachieved in my career,” she said.

“But I think the way I’ve gone about my career is the most important thing.

“I wanted to set an example for my nephews and nieces to always push back when things are hard and keep chasing your dreams. That’s why I haven’t retired until now.

“I would only want to go to LA [the next Olympics] if I had a chance to win a medal.

“In terms of effort and dedication and graft, I know there’s nothing more I could have done.

“Someone asked me what have I got to gain any more. Actually knowing I’ve given everything to the end.”