{"id":47370,"date":"2024-08-01T13:58:18","date_gmt":"2024-08-01T16:58:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thelaker.ca\/?p=47370"},"modified":"2024-08-01T13:58:18","modified_gmt":"2024-08-01T16:58:18","slug":"sanford-punches-way-to-guaranteed-medal-at-paris-2024-olympics","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/staging-z.thelaker.ca\/?p=47370","title":{"rendered":"Sanford punches way to guaranteed medal at Paris 2024 Olympics"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

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NORTH NOEL ROAD:<\/strong> The Kennetcook Kid will fight for a medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Exactly what colour he will be bringing home is yet to be determined.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With a crowd of 500 strong at the Amphitheatre at Findley Park in North Noel Road cheering him on, Kennetcook\u2019s Wyatt Sanford adjusted to his opponents style and came out flying in the third round to secure the split decision thousands of miles away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sanford appeared to be slow out of the gate, and that had the judges giving the first round to his Uzbekistan opponent Ruslan Abdullaev in the quarterfinals of the men’s 63.5-kg division in Paris.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Sanford\u2019s win means he will battle a yet to be determined opponent Sunday morning at 7:30 a.m. Atlantic in the semi-final.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Win or lose, he has guaranteed Canada and himself an Olympic bronze medal at the very least. There are two bronze medals awarded to the semi-final losers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It will Canada\u2019s first Olympic bronze medal since 1996.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sanford came out looking better in the third round and took it to his opponent to come away with the 4-1 win.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As it was such a close match, every jab that Sanford landed the crowd cheered along.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Some of the throng of fans that were at Findley Park. (Healey photo)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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The crowd is focused on the match on the big screen. (Healey photo)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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As they were awaiting the decision of the judges following the completion of the three rounds of three minutes each, there were some supporters with hands to their faces and others sitting on the edge of their chairs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As well, there were a couple of people spotted with hands over their faces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When the announcer said the decision was in favour of Sanford, the crowd erupted into cheers and sighs of relief. Supporters even hugged and slightly danced for brief seconds as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

VIDEO<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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