Backflipping Senior secures rare Aussie boxing medal

Backflipping Australian Charlie Senior has rescued the country’s boxing campaign and assured himself a rare Olympic medal after a tight, comeback quarter-final victory.

The 57kg contender beat Tokyo’s silver medalist Carlo Paalam 3-2 in a tense, split-decision win on Saturday at North Paris Arena.

With the semi-final losers receiving bronze it means he’s guaranteed some rare Olympic boxing silverware regardless of the result against Abdumalik Khalokov when competition moves to Roland Garros on Thursday.

No Australian has won an Olympic boxing title and the country only boasts six medalists, Harry Garside ending a 33-year drought with bronze in Tokyo three years ago.

Senior lost the first round 3-2 but won the second by the same margin when he rolled the dice and attacked his smaller Filipino opponent.

Only one judge had split the rounds, Irish official Ben McGarrigle effectively with the result in his hands when he was one of three judges to give the third round to the Australian.

Senior iced the win with a backflip in the center of the ring as the Australian contingent celebrated wildly.

Caitlin Parker will fight in her quarter-final on Sunday. She is the only other survivor among a record 12-strong Australian contingent that qualified for the Games.