3 min readPatialaAug 17, 2011 02:51 AM IST
First published on: Aug 17, 2011 at 02:51 AM IST
Holding an ice pack under his left eye to control the swelling,Akhil Kumar called for Chhote Lal for a serious discussion. As the latter listened with rapt attention to his seniors advice,Akhil dissected the various strategies and explained what could have worked better for Lal during the bout.
For a moment,it was difficult to imagine that it was Lal who had given that bruise to Akhil. The two had been involved in a bout inside the ring just a few moments ago,fighting for the lone berth in the Indian team while Jitender Kumar,who was by Akhils side to help him with towel and water during that bout,was the next contender in the 56kg category at the World Championships,starting in Baku Azerbaijan from September 22. But thats just a day in the life of these national boxers friends outside and rivals inside the ring as they sweat it out at the NIS Patiala ring on Day One of the two-day selection trials.
It is a part of our daily routine. We are sparring partners,even act as coach during trials and compete against each other. All of us know that only one boxer can qualify in each category but that has never hampered our camaraderie. I grew up idolising Akhil bhai and we discuss strategies often. But when we face each other in trials,we are rivals. It helps us a lot and in a way motivates us, says Jitender.
Six out of a total of ten categories are almost finalised. Categories like light flyweight 49kg,flyweight 52kg,light welterweight 64kg and heavyweight 91kg are expected to pose a tough question for the selectors while Vijender Singh is a certainty in the 75kg category. The Bhiwani boxer,who won Indias lone medal at the last World Championships,is currently ranked number one. Vijender,however,admitted he needed more practice to adjust to the new scoring system put in place by the AIBA and thus training before the world championships will be vital to his chances.
Target London
World championships is a very crucial tournament for us because a quarterfinal finish will ensure a quota place for London Olympics. We plan to train in France for 15 days to prepare for the world championships. Playing in as many tournaments before London will be the key for us,Vijender said.
National coach Gurbax Singh Sandhu believes that the tough competition in trials will only help the boxers prepare better and allow the selectors to pick the right person for each category.
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