The Hindu : Sport / Boxing : Indians have self-belief: coach

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Tuesday, Jun 24, 2008
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Indians have self-belief: coach

Sports Reporter

NEW DELHI: Brimming with confidence after the team’s inspiring performance in the Chemistry Cup in Germany, Indian coach Gurbax Singh Sandhu said his boxers had the skills and the self-belief to make it to the podium in the Beijing Olympics.

Sandhu said, apart from training and preparation, the Indian boxers nurtured a desire to win which would stand them in good stead in the Olympics.

“This time, maximum number of boxers are going to the Olympics and the important thing is everybody has a desire to win. They have the self-belief that they can win medals,” Sandhu told The Hindu on Monday after reaching here from Germany.

Indian boxers dominated the Chemistry Cup in Halle with the Olympic qualified Vijender (75kg) and Jitender (51kg) getting gold medals and Sanjay Kumar clinching the silver in the 60kg category. Two other Olympic qualified boxers — A L Lakra (57kg) and Dinesh Kumar (81kg) — and Parminder (81kg) bagged bronze.

Sandhu said the success in Germany would be a morale-booster for the side.

“I am very happy with the boxers’ performance. It will do world of good to their self-confidence and motivate them,” he said.

The pugilists will now take a few days’ break before gathering in Patiala on June 30 for the final phase of their preparation for the Olympics.

“First, we will have combined training. In the later part of July we will be polishing the finer aspects of the game. A week before the competition we would like to be at the spot itself,” Sandhu said.

Sandhu said plans were afoot to host a few competitive meets against international sides as a part of the preparation.

“Algeria, Kazakhstan and a few African teams are interested to come to India and train with us. But things are yet to be finalised,” he said.

About another Olympic qualified boxer Akhil Kumar, Sandhu said, “He had a minor pain in his hand. That’s why we did not field him in the Halle tournament. We decided to rest him as there is no time for recovery.”

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