After Historic CWG Success, BFI Chief Challenges Boxers To Go Bigger At Asian Games
Indian boxers returned with a record haul of 10 medals from the CWG, including seven gold and three silver, a first in the history of the Games for the country.
Boxing Federation of India president Ajay Singh on Sunday lauded the Indian pugilists for their remarkable 10-medal show at the Commonwealth Games and urged them to work even harder to repeat the exceptional performance at the Asian Games in Japan next month. Indian boxers returned with a record haul of 10 medals from the CWG, including seven gold and three silver, a first in the history of the Games for the country.
"We had an exceptional and historic last two days. Winning seven gold and three silver in boxing is the biggest performance in the last 100 years history of Commonwealth Games," Singh said during an online interaction from Glasgow.
"This is also a preparation for future events, the Asian Games and 2028 Olympics. We can replicate such a performance in Asian Games, we are top 3 in Asia in boxing but for that we need to prepare hard from now and be focussed to produce a strong performance."
The BFI chief said those boxers who have won medals at the CWG have automatically booked their Asian Games berths.
"We had already announced that boxers who are going for CWG and enter medal rounds will automatically be selected for Asian Games," Singh said.
"We are very hungry for a historic performance in Asian Games. But we need to become stronger, better in many weight categories. A lot of work has to be done, this was just a stepping stone.
"We are an athlete-centric federation and our programme is ready till 2028. We want to restart league format or professional format domestically this year to give more exposure to boxers.
"We keep facing political headwinds once in a while but whatever happens politically, as a federation we ensure boxers remain insulated and focussed on their performances." Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist Lovlina Borgohain, who won a silver medal in the middleweight category, dedicated her achievement to the devastating flood victims of her native state, Assam.
"The people of Assam are going through a very bad phase and it happens ever year. I dedicate my medal to the flood victims of my state," she said.
She has set her sights on winning the yellow metal in the upcoming Asian Games.
"Asian Games is very important. I am happy with the silver here but would have been more happy with a gold. The Indian team has done very well, so pretty happy. But I want to better my performance and win a gold in Asian Games."
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