The Hindu : Sport / Boxing : Women's boxing making an impact

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jun 22, 2005

Sport

Sport - Boxing

Women's boxing making an impact

A. Vinod

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Women's boxing across the country is still in its infancy and its ranks thin. But then, it can't be denied that it is growing as more and more women have taken to the ring in recent times, not merely for fun but also to exploit the vast opportunities in terms of jobs and laurels that a comparatively new sport often offers.

In Kerala too, this sport is slowly but surely making an impact. The State team is already the National overall champion and its stars like K.C. Lekha, Aswathy Prabha and C.V. Aswathymol are regarded as the best in the business, thanks to the efforts of the Sports Authority of India to promote the sport in a big way.

Five years ago, prior to the first National women's boxing championship in Chennai, the Kerala Boxing Association had to run from pillar to post to build up a side that could be fielded in the event. However, it has now become a thing of the past as there are quality boxers in almost all weight categories what with more than 75 women engaged in regular training across the State.

But it is the SAI training centre in Kollam that remains the hub of activity as far as the sport in Kerala is concerned. Here, of the 28 boxers included in either under the residential or non-residential schemes currently, 18 are women who slug it out for close to six hours every day, unmindful of the prejudices that the society at large holds out against this contact sport and the niggling injuries it can bring about.

Yet, the most striking feature of the sport in Kerala is that its introduction was not marked by any hostilities as it happened in other States, though the first generation of women boxers here are also `converts' from other disciplines like athletics, basketball and volleyball. Perhaps, this, according to National coach, D. Chandralal, is also one of the reasons to have helped the pugilists from the State to hog the limelight at the National level and beyond within such a small timeframe.

"It is footwork, fast thinking and the ability to throw quick punches that help a boxer to excel. Having had exposure in other events, most of the women boxers in Kerala had the first two qualities before they took to the ring seriously. And this left us only with the task of teaching them the techniques. The results that have followed only underline the quality of talent we have here in Kerala," said Chandralal.

Lot of potential

According to his assessment, the boxers from the State can really make it big at the international stage if the powers-that-be offers sufficient encouragement to this fledgling sport. "In Lekha, Aswathy Prabha and Aswathymol, we already have three international medal winners. But, we can have more such boxers if care is taken to promote the sport in the schools and colleges across the State by the Kerala Sports Council and jobs are offered to the existing boxers."

The National coach also feels that the current lot of boxers themselves could make further progress if the facilities at the SAI training centre in Kollam are improved. "Though we have a full-fledged ring, there is little space to accommodate it in the hall that we have been provided with right now. We would like to have a good training hall with sufficient lighting. Besides, good equipment is also a must. It will also be great if a masseur is posted to this centre. We have already brought this to the attention of the authorities and we are hopeful that positive action would be taken on all our demands soon."

The boxers, on their part, are confident of improving their performance and are only proud of having taken to the ring. "We have often heard stories of how girls in other States were dissuaded by their parents and relatives to give up the sport. But here, we have never faced such problems. The only worry among most parents is regarding injuries. But that again is a bit too far-fetched as we use a lot of safety equipment including the crucial headgear. Women's boxing, I feel, has a great future in this country especially if its included as a medal sport in the 2008 Olympics as is being discussed now. We are only proud to be part of this great movement," Lekha told The Hindu recently.

Indeed, women's boxing has come to stay in Kerala. But how it progresses further in the coming years is something to be watched closely.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Sport