Boxer Sarita Devi optimistic about picking gold at Commonwealth Games 2018

Indian boxer Sarita Devi on Thursday said that she is focused on giving her 100 percent and hopeful of picking up a gold medal at the prestigious Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games, which is slated to begin on April 4. Talking to ANI, Sarita, who won a bronze medal at the Asian Championships last year, revealed that her preparations have been going pretty well and that Boxing Federation of India (BFI) is providing full support to the players.

"Training has been going pretty good. Last time, there were some disturbances because of federation. But now, the Boxing Federation of India (BFI) has come which is supporting us really well. They have started promoting boxing in the country in both women and men's category. They have inaugurated Indian Open in India. They have called coaches from foreign. We are getting good support now and are also training well. So, I am hopeful to clinch a gold medal this time around," Sarita said.

Last year, the Boxing Federation of India (BFI) has been recognised as a national body by the Indian Olympic Association, which removed the terminated Indian Amateur Boxing Federation (IABF) as its affiliate after months of indecision. And Sarita said that the situation has improved a lot since the recognisation of the BFI and that the federation is helping in raising the standard of boxing in both men's and women's category.

"Our aim has always been to prepare ourselves to come out victorious against every opponent. They also come with proper training. Winning and losing is a part and parcel of the game. We are focused on giving our 100 percent and clinch gold. Other countries have started giving tough competition after they started featuring in Olympic Games. We have neither got support and nor did we get exposure of participating in the tournaments earlier. But new federation has been trying hard in raising the standard if women boxing," she added. Sarita (60kg), a former world and Asian champion, fetched a silver medal at the India Open in January before making it to the semi-finals of the Asian Championships in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.

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