- Charlie Senior paid tribute to his grandfather
- Australian missed his grandfather Dennis’ funeral
- He won his fight at the Olympic Games on Wednesday
Australian boxer Charlie Senior has paid emotional tribute to his grandfather after his Olympic victory.
Senior, 22, wore a mouthguard engraved with his grandfather Dennis’ name as he claimed a split decision victory over Vasile Usturoi in Paris.
The Australian missed Dennis’ funeral after he lost his battle with cancer just before Olympic qualifying last December, with Senior unable to travel to England – his native country – to pay his respects.
“I unfortunately wasn’t able to attend the funeral or see him (before he passed away),” Senior told the Sydney Morning Herald.
“It was my thing. My mother, father and little sister are here. My grandmother, Dennis’ wife, is here and travelled from England. She supports me and that’s very important.”
Senior said he did not regret missing Dennis’ funeral, insisting his sacrifices will be rewarded if he can achieve his Olympic dream.
Charlie Senior has paid a moving tribute to his late grandfather
Australian Senior Olympic boxer misses grandfather’s funeral to pursue Paris dream
“You can’t be there for everything. I’ve missed a lot of things. But I would do it again. Sometimes I miss things for the right reasons.”
Senior, who was born in Bradford, West Yorkshire, before moving to Perth at the age of two, says his grandfather’s memory will guide him as he competes in the men’s 57kg division in Paris.
“I’m sure I make him proud,” Senior said.
Earlier on Wednesday, Australian boxing team captain Caitlin Parker produced a stunning performance to progress into the women’s 75kg division.
