Olympic glory: Hometown Tulare celebrates boxer Richard Torrez Jr.’s silver medal showing

It was an evening to rejoice as the City of Tulare turned out to welcome home Olympic silver medal boxing hero Richard Torrez Jr. Saturday evening in Tulare.

Torres, 22, fell just shy of the ultimate prize while competing in the Super-Heavyweight division at the 2020 Tokyo games.

But his silver medal still was worth plenty to celebrate.

Crowds lined O Street as the motorcade traveled north from the Tulare Athletic Boxing Club to Bob Mathias Stadium.

Stepping out of the Tulare Police SWAT armored vehicle he traveled in, the boxer walked through an inflatable tunnel and onto the stadium’s track followed by his family.

Cheerleaders chanted while Torrez Jr. took an American flag in hand and strode in front of the stadium seats, smiling and acknowledging people in the stands while the crowd clapped and shouted for their hero.

Torrez Jr. accepted a torch from his father Richard Torrez Sr., and jogged to the scoreboard at the north end of the field where he lit an Olympic flame replica to thunderous applause.

Hundreds on the west side stands watched as politicians and dignitaries took turns at a lectern in the middle of the field to praise Torrez Jr., capped with a presented bottle of Cherry Coke, his favorite.

The Olympic medalist then took turns at various stations around the stadium to sign autographs and pose for photos.

This story was originally published August 22, 2021 at 5:01 AM.