David De Pina of Cape Verde made history on Friday by securing his nation’s first Olympic medal with a quarterfinal victory in the boxing tournament at the Paris Games. Cape Verde, an island nation with a population of about 600,000, had never won a medal in its previous seven Olympic appearances.
Competing in the men’s 51-kilogram division, De Pina’s success ensures at least a bronze medal for his country. Reflecting on his achievement, De Pina stated, “I did it for my country because we deserve it. We are a small country, a small island, and we never did this before. I’m the first one to write this story, ever! I felt the support my country gave to me, and we deserve it because we’ve been through rough moments to get here.”
De Pina triumphed over Zambia’s Patrick Chinyemba, the African champion and a Commonwealth Games bronze medalist, in a compelling match. Despite Chinyemba’s strong track record, he was unable to overcome De Pina’s athleticism and versatile fighting style. De Pina’s unique look, with his hair styled in two balls resembling “Mickey Mouse,” added to his distinctive presence in the ring. His Cape Verde team and fans mirrored his hairstyle in support, celebrating his victory by tossing him into the air.
The hairstyle, suggested by De Pina’s coach, was intended to help him stand out from other African fighters who typically wear braids. De Pina’s skills and style have certainly set him apart. After his victory, De Pina leaped repeatedly in the Olympic boxing ring, celebrating his monumental achievement.
De Pina’s journey to this point has been challenging. After competing in the Tokyo Olympics, he nearly gave up boxing due to financial difficulties while training in Portugal. However, his perseverance paid off with an impressive performance at the qualifying tournament in Bangkok, which secured his Olympic berth. De Pina credits his coach, Bruno de Carvalho, for his success, saying, “He is the engineer of all my fights. He didn’t sleep. Every night, he was studying the game. I just do what he tells me to do. Africans are strong, but we beat them with our strength of mind.”
De Pina, who was one of Cape Verde’s flagbearers at the opening ceremonies in Paris, faces a formidable opponent in his next bout—Rio gold medalist Hasanboy Dusmatov of Uzbekistan—in the semifinals on Sunday. Regardless of the outcome, De Pina has already cemented his place in history. “I showed the world that we are small, but we are strong and we are talented,” he said.
(AP)
