Mayor Jerry Brown will present Ward with a key to the city at a noontime celebration at Frank H. Ogawa Plaza, in front of Oakland City Hall. Ward also will be presented with a resolution the Oakland City Council passed last week.

"Our city is proud of Andre Ward," Brown said. "Not only is he a tremendous boxer, but he is an outstanding role model for Oakland youth."

The celebration will feature live music by All Star Jukebox and a symbolic passing of the Olympic torch from Ward to aspiring Olympians.

Although Ward was born across the Bay in San Francisco, the 20-year-old boxer has trained in Oakland since 1997 and moved to East Oakland in 1999.

Ward beat Magomed Aripgadjiev of Belarus to become the seventh American to win the Olympic light heavyweight title since boxing became a regular Olympic sport in 1920. He is the first American boxing gold medalist since 1988.

Ward brought Oakland its first individual gold medal since Jimmy Hines won the 100-meter dash in Mexico City in 1968. Oakland basketball legends Gary Payton and Jason Kidd both won gold medals in 2000, but as members of the U.S. men's basketball team.

The Oakland Tribune: Cityside
Leanne McLaughlin, Managing Editor
(510) 208-6447
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