You're reading: Klitschko proud as classy Lomachenko wins gold

Ukraine's professional heavyweight champion Vladimir Klitschko was on hand to see his compatriot Vasyl Lomachenko prove once again why he is the best in the amateur ranks as the lightweight romped to a second successive Olympic gold on Aug. 12.

Lomachenko was just about the hottest favorite of the London
Games after he followed up the featherweight gold he won with ease in Beijing
four years ago
with a world title apiece at both feather and lightweight class.

It was the same story in London when he rarely had to move
into top gear despite moving up a class and he had too much for South Korea’s
Han Soon-chul, easing to a 19-9 victory and earning a congratulatory hug from
Klitschko at ringside.

“The first time I was a bit more excited, I am more
calm now but I am still very happy and delighted to win another medal,”
Lomachenko told reporters.

The irrepressible Lomachenko was in a different league to
the Korean, taking the first round 7-2 with fierce right and left upper-cuts,
punishing body shots topped off with sleek footwork that is almost unmatched
among the amateur game.

The 24-year-old Ukrainian, who sports a tattoo of his father
and coach Anatoly’s face on his abdomen, continued boxing the kind of fight
that would please any coach, keeping Han at bay to widen his lead by a point.

He was able to take his foot off the gas in the final round
and coast to a victory.

Lomachenko, who will join the Olympic boxing governing
body’s professional league next year meaning he will still be eligible to go
for a third gold in 2016, cracked his first smile of the Games when the result
was announced.

Putting two fingers in the air to acknowledge both his
second gold and the second for Ukraine at the Games, Lomachenko left the ring
draped in the Ukrainian flag.

“I’m really proud of my countryman Lomachenko, it is
not a common thing to win two times,” Klitschko said from ringside.
“It would be really exciting to see him in a professional ring.”

Lomanchenko jokingly wiped sweat from his brow as he stood
on the podium to collect his gold, while losing semi-finalists Yasniel Toledo
Lopez of Cuba and Evaldas Petrauskas of Lithuania took bronze.

The Ukrainian’s father and trainer Anatoliy was full of
praise for his son’s achievement.

“It’s always harder to protect your position rather
than get it. It’s always harder to stay on top than get there,” he told
reporters.