With as many as half a dozen Indian boxers in the Commonwealth Championship finals today, coach gs sandhu is confident hosts will finish with best-ever gold medal haul
With as many as half a dozen Indian boxers in the Commonwealth Championship finals today, coach gs sandhu is confident hosts will finish with best-ever gold medal haul
National boxing coach Gurbax Singh Sandhu was a happy man at the talkatora Indoor Stadium yesterday, after Amandeep Singh (49kg) and Jai Bhagwan (60kg) yesterday joined compatriots Vijender Singh (75kg), Suronjoy Singh (52kg), Dinesh Kumar (81kg) and Paramjeet Samota (+91) in the finals of the fifth Commonwealth Champion-ships.
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red hot! Indian boxer Amandeep Singh (right) tries to land a left hand to the face of Malyasia's MFBM Redzuan PIC/IMTIYAZ KHAN |
"This has been a great performance by our boxers and I now hope for the best. We are capable of winning six golds," said Sandhu.
Amandeep brushed aside Malaysian M Redzuan's challenge 7-1 in the semis while Jai Bhagwan (60kg) got a walkover from his English opponent Danny Philips in the 60kg weight category. A day earlier Vijender, Suronjoy, Dinesh and Paramjeet had entered the finals of their respective categories.
India will be looking to better their best-ever gold-medal winning performance in the Championships today when they look to overhaul the four gold, two silver and three bronze they had accumulated in Scotland the last time round. India is also eyeing the overall trophy which will be theirs if they can get the better of England, who have five boxers in the final.
Amandeep was overjoyed after the bout and felt this competition would give him the motivation to do better at the Commonwealth Games to be held here in October (3-14) this year. "I missed the Beijing Olympics and was not performing well last year and was not selected in the Indian team. This time, I'm glad to have made the final and now want to to prove my worth in the ring," Amandeep said.
Jai Bhagwan, who go a walkover, too said a gold was his only aim. "I will have to win the gold medal," he said.
Though quite a few countries have not fielded their best boxers here, the presence of the England contingent has ensured the event has a good standard. The England squad has done well here this far and are keen to win as many golds as possible in a bid to prepare for the 2012 London Olympics. Coach Sandhu is aware of the English threat. "For the overall trophy our fight is with England. Six of our boxers are in the finals while England have five.
"Vijender, Dinesh and Suranjoy are established names in the sport. I hope Jai Bhagwan, Amandeep and Paramjeet can win too as that will keep them in good stead for the future. Besides, it will be great news for Indian boxing," said Sandhu.
