Fourteen elite Indian boxers, including six-time world champion M.C. Mary Kom, on Monday began preparation for the Boxam International Tournament beginning on Tuesday in Castellon, Spain, with two light training sessions. The team comprises all nine Olympic Games quota winners, including Mary Kom, who has qualified for the Tokyo Games in the women’s 51 kg category. The team reached Castellon late Sunday evening.
“The boxers had a light training session on Monday morning and evening. We will chalk out competition strategy once we get the fixtures,” a team coach told IANS.
The elite 14-member Indian boxing team is aiming for a good show in the week-long tournament in the Spanish coastal city, and are taking all precautionary measures because of the Covid-19 pandemic, said the coach.
“When an athlete steps out of the hotel room it’s mandatory to wear a mask. Athletes have also been told not to leave the room except those who have bouts or those going for practice sessions. Since the competition venue is just a 10-minute walk from the hotel, it’s good for the team,” the coach said.
The Indian team comprises six women boxers and eight men.
This is the first international exposure for the elite boxers preparing for the Tokyo Olympics, to be held from July 23 to August 8.
All sporting events were disrupted due to the pandemic. The competition has resumed, but all have to follow the strict bio-bubble guidelines.
Some of the prominent female boxers in the team include Simranjit Kaur (60 kg), Lovlina Borgohain (69 kg), and Pooja Rani (75 kg).
Amit Panghal (52 kg), Manish Kaushik (63 kg), Vikas Krishan (69 kg), Ashish Kumar (75 kg) and Satish Kumar (plus 91 kg) are the main players in the men’s squad.
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