Bhiwani’s Sachin and Naman keep boxing flame burning

Sabi Hussain

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, November 28

One idolises Vijender Singh, the other Vikas Krishan. Both have their distinctive styles of boxing but both are chasing the same dream — to win an Olympics medal. They are immensely talented and hail from Haryana’s Bhiwani district, the country’s boxing capital.

Meet India’s latest boxing sensations: Sachin Singh and Naman Tanwar — the two proud medallists at the AIBA Youth World Championships. Sachin, who won the 49kg category gold medal, and Naman, a bronze medallist in the 91kg section, have come as a breath of fresh air for Indian boxing.

Once counted among the medal contenders, the Indian boxers suffered heavily after the London Olympics due to the suspension of the national federation. As a result, India returned empty-handed from the boxing ring at the Rio Olympics. Moreover, a sudden urge among the senior boxers to join the professional ranks after the success of Vijender threatened the existence of amateur boxing.

But the success of Sachin and Naman has come as a major boost for amateur boxing, which had been in dire straits for want of a recognised federation and international exposure. For the newly-elected Boxing Federation of India, the two medals couldn’t have come at a more opportune time as the federation looks to revive the sagging fortune of the sport.

However, for Sachin and Naman, this is just a stepping stone in a long and arduous journey — one which they had simultaneously started some nine years ago. “When I had won the bronze at the Junior World Championships last year, I wasn’t happy with my performance. I wanted to announce my arrival on to the international stage with a gold. So, this success has pleased me,” Sachin told The Tribune on the sidelines of a felicitation function by the Sports Ministry.

“My target is to win a medal, possibly gold, at the 2020 Tokyo Games. We won medals at the 2008 Beijing and 2012 London Olympics, but that journey was halted at Rio. I want to again start the medal-winning journey,” added the 16-year-old, whose calm demeanour and level-headed approach towards the sport belies his age.

Sachin credited his coach Sanjay Sheoran and uncles Vijender and Ravinder Singh, both former boxers, for shaping his career; but, more so, his father, a small-time farmer, for ensuring unhindered funding for his training and coaching despite the family’s poor financial health.

Same was the case with Naman, whose family didn’t allow their modest income to come between his boxing dreams. “My father is a retired serviceman and we are two brothers and a sister. So, the family income was very limited. Despite that, my parents encouraged me to focus only on boxing and leave the expenses to them,” said Naman, who trains at Victoria Boxing Academy at the Bhim Stadium under Vishnu Bhagwan.

“I had started boxing to lose weight but after watching my parents doing so much for me I gave my 100 percent to this sport,” added the 18-year-old.