Natasha Jonas' Olympic diary

By @TashaJonas

I think we find out the draw for our divisions on July 27th. The gold and silver medallists from the World Championships will get byes in the first round as will two others. The others will box.

We have to weigh in on the first day of competition so I’d assume they’ll do the draw then. We’ll also have to weigh in on the morning of every bout we have. If I go all the way then I’ll box on Sunday August 4th and then the Monday, Wednesday and Thursday. The weight has been good this time. I’m only 0.9kg over now (July 17) and I’d like to be on wait by the time I finish camp.

The Brazilian team are here at the moment. It hasn’t been toned down at all; it’s been a typical training camp for us. If we go abroad for a training camp, we’ll follow the host country's routine. The Brazilian’s are just doing their own thing but we are sparring together.

During training we’ll do general stuff but the coaches got together with the boxers and everybody had to identify who they think is the biggest threat to them and then we do an analysis on them. We always do an analysis on everybody we box but we’re looking at our threat’s weaknesses and how to capitalise on them but also how to impose our strengths on them.

My three choices were Katie (Taylor), Sophia (Ochigava) and the third was Gulsum Tatar but she didn’t qualify. Obviously you can’t go on one fight because she would have come on a lot since but I felt comfortable boxing Cheng Dong in the test event we had. I will never underestimate anybody but I didn’t feel Dong was one of my main threats. Queen Underwood from the USA is a good boxer too but I also felt comfortable against her.

Everybody on the team has a chance of a medal. Nicola (Adams) was just pipped at the World Championships and I think in front of the home crowd she can go one better. Savannah (Marshall) is world champion anyway so all she has to do is do it again. In the worlds, that was the best I’ve ever seen Savannah box. If she can replicate exactly what she did last time, she can win again. She knows she’s number one in the world and the one to beat now.

If I have to pick two to watch from the men’s team, I’ll pick Tom Stalker and Anthony Joshua. Anthony Joshua’s story is unbelievable. He came from nowhere and in the World Championships beat (Roberto) Cammarelle who’s won more world titles than Joshua’s won ABA titles!

I think there will just be one ring being used at a time and having ten thousand people cheering every punch is going to be unbelievable. It’ll be like when I fought at the Echo Arena in Liverpool to win the Great Britain championships. Even walking out there sent shivers down my spine!

Hopefully next time we speak I’ll be an Olympic gold medallist!

Tasha

All @Livefight would like to wish Tasha the best of luck at the Games. I’d also like to thank Tasha and @martyf70 for their help this past 12 months. Hopefully the final part will be the monthly diary of an Olympic gold medallist! Catch Natasha's first fight on the afternoon of Sunday August 4th.