Olympic boxer thanks Suffolk New College lecturer ahead of Paris 2024

A boxing referee who trains an Olympic hopeful had an emotional postcard from Paris ahead of the 2024 games.

Simon Mullan, 47, who lives in Ipswich and works for Suffolk New College has coached 27-year-old Lewis Richardson since he was 13.

Richardson, from Colchester, will be fighting in the 71kg category and he has had an emotional journey to get to the Olympics.

He 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 Mullan – 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 talented Essex boxer ahead of the games.

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.”

Unfortunately, Simon – who sparred against Joe Calzaghe as a youngster – won’t be in Paris to cheer Lewis on as he will be refereeing the schools boxing European Championships in Bosnia. Simon has already been a boxing referee in Finland, Portugal and Germany (where he got to meet another Olympic hopeful called Rosie Eccles) as he one day hopes to go to the Olympics himself (as a ref).

“I’m Torn”, added Mullan. “But Lewis understands that I have to do what I’ve got to do if I want to referee at the Olympics – and I’ll be messaging him and cheering on from afar.”

Head of Marketing at Suffolk New College, Craig Shimmon, said: “It’s amazing that Suffolk New College has a connection to the Olympics and Simon has said that after the Olympics, he will bring Lewis in to chat to students. Fingers crossed he will be coming in with a medal. Everyone at the college wishes Lewis all the very best.”