Lewis Richardson will be looking to win a medal in Paris

Lewis Richardson, 27, is looking to be in with a chance of a medal as he fights in the 71kg category at the Paris 2024 Olympics.

His coach Simon Mullan, 47, has received an emotional postcard from the boxer ahead of his campaign getting underway today. 

Hopeful - Lewis will be hoping to return with a medal (Image: Credited)

Lewis won a test event in Tokyo ahead of the previous games, but then Covid kicked in and he thought his Olympic dreams had been dashed.

And because his weight category (75kg) no longer exists, the Essex youngster had to lose four kilos to be considered for selection.

But Simon, who is welding lecturer at Suffolk New College, has stuck with him throughout and was ‘choked up’ when he received a postcard from Paris from the boxer.

Simon said: “I went away on holiday and Lewis sent me a postcard to my house. I came back this week and in between lots of bills and letters on the doormat was a card with the Eiffel Tower on it.

"On the back it said, ‘To Simon – we did it. Olympian forever. Just a quick message to thank you for supporting me – from a boy to a man. I am very grateful. You have been far more than just a coach in boxing – you have been my mother, a father, a friend, a physio, nutritionist and much much more. Always here. Olympics here we come - Lewis’.

“I messaged him and said ‘that choked me up’. When you get back from holiday you get the holiday blues, then I saw the postcard and it was such a nice touch.”

“I have spoken to Lewis over the last couple of days and he is in a brilliant position. He has trained well, he is fit and he is healthy.

"He has had a good camp out in France and he said he is living the dream. He has reached his goal for the Olympics, but let’s hope he can now go one step further and win a medal.”

Lewis will face Serbia's Vakhid Abbasov in his first fight of the games this evening.