Coram's Herring makes 2012 Olympic team

Jamel Herring “turned a dream into reality” Tuesday after becoming the fifth boxer to qualify for the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

The Coram native beat Yoelvis Hernandez by decision, 12-10, in a light welterweight bout.

“I can actually say that hard work pays off,” said Herring. “I turned a dream into a reality, especially since about a year ago, not too many people gave me a chance.”

Herring is the second of three Olympic Trials winners to qualify his spot at the Americas Qualifier after falling short at the 2011 World Championships, the first international qualifying tournament for the 2012 Olympics.

Herring earned his spot at the Americas Qualifier by winning the 2012 USA Boxing National Championships in the deepest weight class in the tournament. A two-time Armed Forces National Champion, Herring won a silver medal for the United States at the 2010 World Military Championships.

He is a member of the Marine Corps boxing team led by Head Coach Jesse Revelo, and has served two tours of duty in service to the United States. The United States has never failed to qualify the light welterweight division with the most recent Olympic medal in the weight class coming at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney with a silver medal performance by Ricardo Williams.