By IANS
New Delhi : The Indian boxers are back from the Commonwealth championships in Liverpool, England, with a rich haul of one gold, two silver and six bronze medals. And they wasted no time in asking for permission to start preparing for the senior national championships to be held here Aug 25-31.
It's a happy dilemma for the Indian Amateur Boxing Federation (IABF) as their decision to send a junior team to the Commonwealth championships, where they faced the senior teams from 31 countries, was vindicated. Now the boys want to graduate to the higher level at home as well.
When IABF secretary general Col. P.K. Muralidharan Raja asked the 11 juniors boxers just back from England how many of them were taking time off to take part in their respective state championships, five hands, including that of Commonwealth gold medal winner Sunil, shot up.
"Its a great feeling. Sunil won the gold and now wants to go for the Haryana state championships starting Thursday so that he can qualify for the senior nationals. He knows that he is likely to run into Jitendra Kumar in his 51-kg class at the nationals but the experience of the Commonwealth boxing meet has given him the confidence to go for selections," said Col. Raja.
Junior team coach Ganapathy Manoharan, beaming with pride with his wards' performance in England, felt it may be a little early for the juniors to go for the senior nationals just yet.
"May be one more year before they move up to the seniors. Boxing is more mental than physical and if they lose one bout badly, it could shatter their confidence forever," felt Manoharan, who has been training the junior squad for 10 months.
Col. Raja, himself a top class referee-judge, couldn't help but agree with his coach.
"Its a tough choice really. The boys are all above 17 years, so they qualify for the senior nationals, which are open to those between the ages of 17 and 34. But they still have some time before they turn 18 and step out of the junior ranks. But it's not within our powers to hold anybody back.
"The senior nationals will serve as the selection trials for the Chicago world championships from Oct 17 to Nov 1. And all boxers who make it to the quarterfinals at Chicago automatically qualify for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games," elaborated the IABF secretary general.
But he did not mince his words when he spoke to the boxers.
"You must remember that you are our hopes for the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi. And you are likely to face a similar opposition as you did in England. So it is your duty to start preparing for 2010 from today," he told them as he shook hands and hugged each of the 11 boxers.
But with a ticket to Beijing before them as a likely prize, it looks as if the IABF will have a tough time holding the junior squad back.
The federation, however, has proposed a training trip to Ukraine from Aug 14-19 for the junior squad. That could well mean missing the senior nationals and possible selection to the world championships.