The national boxing trials for Commonwealth and Asian Games in Patiala produced some stunning results
The national boxing selection trials are finally over after a controversy off the ring. The Boxing Federation of India (BFI) had to announce a revised selection benchmark based on trials after the Sports Authority of India (SAI) struck down the earlier policy based on assessment and markings, raising issues of “transparency and fairness.”
The Indian teams for the Japan Asian Games and Glasgow Commonwealth Games were therefore picked on the basis of knockout trials, a system that used to be followed earlier. Some startling results were produced in the three-day trials, and the most sensational was Sakshi Chaudhary getting the better of two-time world champion Nikhat Zareen in the flyweight (51kg) division.
Sakshi Chaudhary, who had reduced her weight from 54kg, used her jab to very good effect, scoring punches from long range. Nikhat has not been in the best of form in the last few years, and it showed in the results in the trials. She lost 1-4 to Sakshi Chaudhary in the semi-finals.
Carrying the momentum, Sakshi Chaudhary went on to beat Minakshi Hooda, the world champion in 48kg who shifted her weight class.
For the first time in five years, there will be a new face in the flyweight division, which was dominated by Nikhat Zareen at the domestic level since Olympic medallist MC Mary Kom’s exit.
A two-time world youth champion, Sakshi Chaudhary has been part of the Indian team in 54kg. She lost to Preeti Sai Pawar in the trials for the Asian Championships. While Preeti won gold in the Asian Championships and got a direct entry into the team for the Asiad and CWG, Sakshi Chaudhary dropped her weight by 3kg and competed in 51kg.
In bantamweight, she won the Boxing World Cup in Astana last year and represented India at the World Championships. The boxer from Bhiwani is one of the fittest boxers in the national camp, and it would be interesting to see how she performs in the two major meets.
Parveen Hooda made a return to the team in the 65kg weight class, while Tokyo Olympic medallist Lovlina Borgohain sealed her place in the middleweight 75kg category.
In the men’s team, Jadumani Singh showed consistency and hunger to beat some tough opponents, including Pawan Bartwal 3-2, to get selected in 55kg.
The selected boxers in Olympic weight categories will compete in a tournament in the Czech Republic as a build-up to the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in July-August.
Indian team for CWG/Asian Games
Women: Sakshi Chaudhary (51kg), Preeti Pawar (54kg), Jaismine Lamboria (57kg, for CWG), Priya Ghanghas (60kg), Parveen Hooda (65kg), Arundhati Chaudhary (70kg, for CWG), Lovlina Borgohain (75kg).
Men: Jadumani Singh (55kg), Sachin Siwach (60kg), Aditya Pratap Singh (65kg, for CWG), Sumit Kundu (70kg), Ankush (80kg), Kapil Pokhariya (90kg), Narender Berwal (+90kg).
EOM
