HE may not be bringing home the gold, but Newport people say Mo Nasir has done us proud - and his boxing club chairman is now tipping him for Olympic glory.

Twenty-year-old Mo, of Alice Street, Pill, yesterday lost his Commonwealth Games light-flyweight semi-final against England's Darran Langley 9-13.

Mo's father Abdul comforted his "gutted" son, who still comes home with a bronze medal, over the phone.

"He was upset so I had to calm him down," said Mr Nasir, 50.

"I just told him that's the way it goes and not to worry about it."

Mr Nasir believes the pressure may have got to his son.

"It wasn't his best performance, but I'm very proud of him," he said.

Mo's former PE teacher at Duffryn High School, Mark Tucker, said there was a tremendous buzz around the school following their past pupil's success.

He said: "All the boys were really excited and they are delighted he won the bronze."

Mr Tucker said Mo was a "lovely lad" who always gave 100 per cent in school.

"He always committed to everything and he was so focused on his boxing," said Mr Tucker. "He's a credit to the school."

Mo will now be invited back to show pupils his medal and encourage them to take up sport.

The chairman of St Joseph's boxing club, where Mo has trained since arriving from the Yemen 10 years ago, was disappointed for Mo.

"I think he was a little bit overawed," said Roy Chambers.

"It was Mo's first big-time experience and he has done well.

"We are all so proud of him."

He said Mo would be feeling "down in the dumps" because he really believed he could scoop the top accolade.

"He sets his sights on something but he hasn't got the gold medal he wanted," said Mr Chambers. The club is planning a party and Mr Chambers predicted Mo would return with a medal from the Beijing Olympics in 2008.

He said: "He's matured now into a strong young man and he's a great hope for the future.

"We are going to see a lot more of him."