British flyweight, Nicola Adams

British flyweight, Nicola Adams, became a gold medallist after beating Ren Cancan of China in the first ever women's Olympic boxing final Thursday.

Cancan, the world champion and number one seed going into the fight, started as a favourite but 29-year-old Adams, seeded second, had impressed all week and had home advantage in her favour.

Cancan had beaten Adams twice at world championship level, but Adams had shaded her 12-11 in their most recent bout, and started brightly in the first of four two-minute rounds, taking it 4-2.

The deficit inspired Cancan to come out firing at the start of the second. Adams, happy to trade, looked equally comfortable with the change of pace, with a right-cross catching her opponent flush, before knocking her down moments later with a right, and stretching her advantage to five points.

The third round was more sedate, with Adams looking assured and countering her opponent's every shot with blows of her own.

With a nine-point lead going into the final round, Cancan needed something extraordinary to turn the bout on its head, but Adams maintained her discipline to secure the victory by 16 points to seven, delighting the ExCeL Arena, and giving Britain their first boxing gold medallist of the Games.

The Briton shadow-boxed in each corner of the ring in delight after the official decision was declared.