For the first time, the 2012 Olympics will include Women's Boxing.  Women's boxing actually has a long history.  NPR recently did an interview with some of the women competing for a place on the American team.  Meet Bertha Aracil.  According to the report,the 29 year old Bertha comes from a Cuban family, and at the time of the interview, lived in an apartment with "...a man she calls her husband and a woman she calls her wife."  To listen to the full report which also features some of the other women competing for the 3 available spots for the Olympics click here.




According to WNYC: Bertha Aracil is one of 24 women who will be competing for 3 spots on the first USA Women's Olympic Boxing Team. "Boxing is not a soft sport. I don't believe it's a violent sport but it's not a soft sport. You gotta have guts to go in the ring and throw a punch and receive one."

Bertha defeated Liz Leddy at the Police Athletic League Tournament in Toledo, OH in October, 2011 to qualify for the Olympic Trial Team. "When I land a punch, I feel like I'm controlling her," Aracil says. "'You weren't supposed to let me punch you there."