Common path to glory for Women’s Youth World Boxing Championship finalists Nitu and Sakshi Choudhary

It would prove to be a day to remember for the boxers and their parents as Nitu got the better of Yuan Nie and half an hour later Sakshi beat Sena Irie of Japan.

“We know each other since the last 30 years. Our daughters were born within one month of each other in 2000,” Bhagwan says.

A few years later it was Kumar who decided that his daughter was better off at a boxing academy after constant fights between her and brother Aman ended up with the boy getting beaten up.

“Manoj asked me to accompany him when he wanted to enroll Sakshi at the Bhiwani Boxing Club. That evening, I also got Neetu’s enrolled in the academy,” Bhagwan recalls. Nitu’s interest in boxing was sustained because of Sakshi. Both the youngsters became the champions in School Nationals before Sakshi was drafted into the junior world cup camp in 2015. Sakshi went on to become the junior world champion in the 54 kg category in 2015. But Nitu was doing the hard yards back home and words of encouragement from Sakshi kept her motivated.

Nitu was not part of the national set-up at that point in time. Nitu would run and shadow box in village fields in the morning followed by training at the boxing club in evening. Having a friend in the national camp would help Nitu. Sakshi ensured that Neetu didn’t miss out on much. “When I won the junior world title in 2015, Nitu was not in the national camp but when I used to go back home I would show her training videos. She is like a twin sister for me,” Sakshi said after her one-sided win over Irie.

Nitu too had made progress before this edition of the World Championships. Last month she won the best boxer title at the Balkan boxing Championship in Bulgaria.

With the teenagers increasingly traveling for tournaments, the fathers would also share the duty of accompanying them. But both were able to make it together to Guwahati. Earlier this year, Manoj’s father was ill and he could not travel. So I took leave and took the girls for the trials,” Bhagwan, who works at the Haryana Vidhan Sabha, says.

When Sakshi became the junior world champion both families celebrated and the same was the case when Nitu was awarded the best boxer trophy in Bulgaria.

This time the girls will be returning to their village with two medals — a first for the village. “Our neighbors have been calling us daily to ask about the results of both the girls and this time as Nitu has also won a medal the celebrations will be even bigger,” Kumar says. A gold medal here for the duo will also mean they both will be going for next year’s Youth Olympics in Argentina. “Both of us have been dreaming about Olympics and taking part in even the Youth Olympics together will be a huge thing for us and our village,” said Nitu. On Sunday evening those in Dhanana will be eagerly awaiting news about the two girls who are making waves in Guwahati.