CWG rewind: the Supernova called Mohammad Ali Qamar

8220;I was surprised at what I had achieved,even after eight years,I can8217;t believe it actually happened. I get goosebumps when I think of it. It was out of the blue,a fairytale because when I left for the Games,I did not even have a medal on my mind,let alone getting the top one,8221; the former light fly weight boxer said in an interview.

8220;I don8217;t have the recording of my final bout. Wish I could get it from somewhere. I have tried very hard to get it but no success. I wonder if somebody can help me,that recording would mean a world to me,8221; he said.

The diminutive Kolkata citizen,now on the national selection panel of the Indian Boxing Federation,was a bundle of nerves all through the Manchester Games.

8220;Before the semifinal,I saw the recording of my opponent8217;s previous bout. This guy had beaten an Australian boxer,who was literally scurrying for cover in the ring. I thought,if he can thrash an Australian like that,what chance do I have?8221; he recalled.

That opponent was Nigeria8217;s Taoreed Ajagbe and Qamar said he was shocked when he took him on in the semis.

8220;He was not his usual self. I waited for him to attack but he just kept a distance. Then I thought,I should attack and it worked. I was baffled but glad that I won in the end,8221; he said.

8220;Later,this guy came to me and said that he had seen the recording of my quarterfinal bout and was intimidated because I had out-classed my opponent. So,in a way,we were both scared of each other when we took the ring,8221; he laughed.

The final was a tougher affair as he took on local favourite Darren Langley in front of a partisan crowd.

8220;It was electric. Going into the final round of that bout,I was trailing by four points but I pulled it off and it was just surreal after that. I was amazed,shocked,I still don8217;t have the words to describe,8221; he said.

If the rise was swift,the fall was no less quick for the man who took to boxing by 8220;default8221;.

8220;It was during the trials for the Asian Games,which were just a month after the Commonwealth Games I hurt my nose and it would bleed every time I fought. I lost in the quarterfinals of the Asian Games and never really recovered after that,8221; Qamar said.

8220;The Commonwealth and the Asian Games are always scheduled very close to each other and it takes a toll on the athlete. No one can understand what we go through. I don8217;t know if anyone would believe me but I actually turned down an advertising offer from Hero Honda because I didn8217;t want to leave the camp for the Asian Games but it all ended in agony for me,8221; he said.

Once injured,Qamar struggled and faded into oblivion but he is happy that the current crop of boxers don8217;t have to face similar problems after Vijender Singh8217;s bronze medal at the Olympics.

8220;It8217;s better now but these guys also have their problems which cannot be ignored. My times were even more difficult and when I look back,it hurts like anything.

8220;I left the national camp in 2006 and the rest is just forgettable,8221; said the boxer whose rise and fall can only be compared to a supernova explosion.