Punching for gold

Karam Prakash

Tribune News Service

Patiala, August 16

Indian boxers had a field day at this year’s Commonwealth Games (CWG), winning nine medals, including three gold. In fact, it was the best haul by Indian boxers at any mega event. 

The boxers will now be trying to continue the trend of good results at the Asian Games. However, it will not be that easy as experts say that competition at the Asian Games is much sterner than at the CWG.

Indians will be facing opponents from top boxing nations like Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, South Korea, Thailand and China. These countries have not only dominated Asia but have been the continent’s best representatives at the Olympics. In fact, Kazakhstan is 10th in the list of top medal-winning nations in the Olympics. India is 64th with two bronze medals. At the Asian Games, India fare better, but it is still in eighth position. 

However, India’s rise in boxing has been recent. After just two bronze medals at the 2006 Asian Games, India saw its best-ever boxing show at a multi-sport event — winning nine medals, including two gold, at the 2010 Guangzhou Games.

The national coaches said that the Asian Games cannot be compared with the CWG, but winning medals at the CWG has certainly bolstered the morale of the boxers before the Games in Indonesia.

Strong men’s team

India is fielding a strong men’s team at the Asian Games. Out of the seven-member men’s squad, five are Commonwealth Games medallists. The driving force behind the team will be the experienced Vikas Krishan, who will compete in the 75kg category. Krishan is two-time Asian Games medallist, with gold in 2010 and bronze in 2014. 

“The Indian squad is a strong one, and I am hopeful of at least five medals in the event,” Krishan said. “Our preparations have been world class. We had the best exposure, and I am hopeful of winning a gold medal.”

Another boxer who made the cut and is in top form is Gaurav Solanki, who competes in the 52kg category. Solanki, who stayed atop the national rankings throughout the year, recently won the gold medal at the Chemistry Cup in Germany. He had won the gold medal in the Gold Coast CWG, on his debut. The youngest pugilist in the Indian squad, Solanki is flying high. He is being touted as India’s best bet for a gold. Though the 21-year old lacks experience, his recent outings in Germany, France, and Ireland raise confidence.

Gold Coast CWG silver medallist Amit Panghal (49kg) will try to shine on his debut at the continental event. In the 69kg, India will have veteran Olympian Manoj Kumar.

Shiva’s comeback

The presence of World Championships bronze medallist Shiva Thapa will add much power to the team.

Having missed the 2018 CWG, Thapa will be eager to win a medal at the Asian Games. In the last edition, Thapa had lost in the quarterfinals. Last year, Thapa won the silver in the Asian Championships. However, at last year’s World Championships, Thapa could not even step into the ring due to a bout of food poisoning a night before his opening fight. However, putting all his disappointments behind, Thapa is ready to win a medal at the continental event.

New faces

In the women’s category, all the three boxers — Sonia Lather, Pavitra and Sarjubala Devi — did not fight at the Gold Coast CWG. Sonia Lather, a 2017 Asian Championship silver-medallist, is the most experienced among the three. Sonia, one of India’s most promising boxers and a medal contender at the Asian Games, will be eyeing to repeat her past glorious performances. Sonia, a World Championship bronze medallist, will be trying to prove a point to the selectors who had dropped her from the CWG squad despite her winning the National Championship earlier this year. The young Sarjubala and Pavitra are capable of beating good opponents on their day.

The Contenders

India’s best result at the Asian Games came when they finished with two gold in 2010, but since then India’s boxing has stagnated and even declined. India’s only gold at Incheon 2014 came courtesy Mary Kom in women’s 51kg class. This time around, a gold may be out of reach of the Indians.

These are India’s best bets for gold in Indonesia: 

Men

Vikas Krishan Yadav
75kg 

Haryana’s Vikas Krishan Yadav is the most experienced boxer in the squad, though he’s only 26. Yadav faces very tough competition in his category at the Asian Games, especially from boxers from Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan. He won gold at the Commonwealth Games in April, but would need to box at a higher level if he is to win a gold in Jakarta.

Gaurav Solanki
52kg 

At the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games, Solanki was very impressive as he won the gold in the 52kg category. The 21-year-old from Haryana is in good form, having won gold at the Chemistry Cup in Germany. Then again, competition would be much tougher in the Asian Games as his category has strong boxers from Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan.

Shiva Thapa 
60kg 

At 18, Shiva Shiva Thapa had become the youngest Indian boxer to qualify for the London Olympic Games, where he lost in the first round. At the 2014 Asian and Commonwealth Games, he was unable to get past the first hurdle, and suffered the same fate at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games. At last year’s Asian Championships, he won a silver medal. He has won two bronze medals at the India Open and  and Ulaanbaatar Cup this year, raising hopes of a revival of his career.

Women

Sarjubala Devi
51kg

The Manipur boxer has been called ‘the next Mary Kom’ right from the days she started making waves as a junior. When Mary Kom pulled out of the Asian Games, it was but inevitable that Sarjubala would be included in the Indian team. She had won a silver at the 2014 World Championships and hopes to win a medal in Jakarta.

Sonia Lather
57kg 

Haryana’s Sonia Lather won a silver medal at the 2016 World Championships and is determined to win gold at Jakarta. She won a silver at the Asian Championships in 2012 and 2017, and was upset when she was not included in the team for the Commonwealth Games. She wants to make up for it at the Asian Games.