Page 2 SUNDAY, AUGUST 5, 2018

CMYK CMYK ..................................................................................................................................................................................... Page 2 SUNDAY, AUGUST 5, 2018 CMYK veloped some kind of internal bleeding footballer before. Did you ever take pro- problems which forced him to remain at fessional training in football? home and take rest. Since then my mother Ans: No, I did not take any kind of train- CMYK has been taking care of the household and ing in football.But everyone said I was a the responsibility of bringing up me and good footballer because I use to take extra my elder siblings - a brother and a sister - attention of my fitness. Everyone in my fell on her shoulders. district knew me and used to comment Q. You were always interested in about my good football playing abilities. sports as a child… What has been the sup- Q. When did you begin to think of tak- port of your family towards your sport- ing up professional boxing? ing endeavours? Ans: Like I said, the LPS Promotional Ans: Yes, I always loved sports and deep Fight was a big influencing factor in my down I knew that it was my calling in life. life. That tournament opened my eyes to I was not keen in formal education and did the world of boxing. However, I had not my schooling from Little Diamond English gone out of my village till that time. In School, a school in our district. Since pro- 2009, a boxing tournament, Pykka tourna- fessional boxing had not yet arrived in our ment, was started in our home district. I district, I was a keen footballer and would participated in the same and won the Gold play football all day long and bunk classes Medal. That was a huge motivating factor in school after the first period. It was diffi- for me and I began to take keen interest in cult for my parentswhen I behaved like that boxing. because our family condition was not very Q. Did you have any coaches or for- good at that moment. All that my mother mal training at that time? earned was by selling fish in the market Ans: No. In the beginning i.e. in 2009 and she had to look after my sick father and 2010, I trained on my own. There were and three of us children! hardly any boxers in the area and I would Since I was not too much interested in just go to the ring and watch the senior studies, one day they told me to make a boxers play. I would watch them move choice in life - either complete my educa- around and would ask them for tips on how With his mother at the daily market young at that time and we did not have any Olympic Gold Medalist Hassanboy relatives in the city. I still remember my fa- Dusmatov had made you a very popular ther crying because I had to leave. name. Please share your experiences of In any case, I reached Aizawl and took the fight? Were you nervous while facing lodgings in a hotel. I went to the Sports Au- the Olympics Gold Medalist? thority of India playground in Aizawl and Ans: Well, that was a very important approached the boxing coach, Mr game of my career. I hope you watched my Vulthavunga and asked him if he would train performance in the semi-finals match too me. He agreed, and I started training as an which I played after that! Coming back to external student. Those were challenging your question, I was not nervous at all. I was days because I would do nothing else ex- confident of putting on a good show. I knew cept train. My hotel was a bit far from the Dusmatov was the World Champion but I SAI complex and sometimes I did not have was equally confident about my high fit- enough money to pay for my taxi fare; I ness levels. I studied all his previous games would walk all the way up and down. But I thoroughly before the competition and it kept on with my practice and maybe my was my plan to tire him out totally before hard work paid off because in 2011, I was the match ended. I used speed along with selected to play in the Junior National Cham- counter punches ad well-judged guard to pionships in Pune. Luckily, I won the Bronze side-line the champion boxer. Medal in that tournament. Q. Besides Mr. Vulthavunga, do you Q. After Pune, which competitions did have any other coach? you take part in? Ans: My performances in the 2015 se- Ans: Winning the Bronze Medal in Pune nior nationals got the attention of the Navy was a big source of inspiration and I did not coaches, upon whose recommendation I look back after that. The following year, in shifted to Navy Nagar in Colaba, Mumbai. 2012, I participated in the Inter-Sports Au- In Navy Nagar, I came in contact with the thority of India (SAI) tournament at Haryana Navy head coach and 2010 Commonwealth where I won the Gold Medal. In 2013, I won Games gold medallist Suranjoy Singh, who the Gold at Manipur. In 2014, I won the has since then become my coach.In fact, he Gold Medal at the Northeast Games held in is my favourite Indian boxer. Right now, I Arunachal Pradesh. In 2015, I won the have been called for the Indian team trials Bronze Medal at the Senior National Games which are being held at Patiala. After winning a trophy in Mizoram held at Nagpur. In 2017, I won the Gold Q. What plans do you have for the fu- Medal at the LB Chettri Invitational Cham- ture? tion seriously or pursue boxing. I guess I to punch. I used to practice 1-2, 1-2 all by pionship held at Shillong. Then in 2017, I Ans: Earlier this year, I had lost out on a was lucky in that way because my father myself, in the bathroom, at home, wher- won the Silver Medal and Best Challengers ticket to the Gold Coast when I lost to Amit knew about my interest in sports and my ever I went. Trophy at the Senior Nationals Champion- Panghal in the India Open semi-finals that capabilities. So when I decided to pursue Q. When did you take up professional ships held in Vizakhapatnam. And in 2018, took place in New Delhi in February. How- boxing and complete my higher second- training in Boxing? I won the Bronze Medal at the India Open ever, my victory over Dusmatov has in- ary education from open schooling, my Ans: I had never ventured out my home International Boxing Championships at CMYK creased my chances of acquiring a berth in family stood behind me and supported me town till 2010. The first time I went to Delhi. After that, I was selected for the In- the Indian boxing team for the Asian Games more than 200 percent. They have been Aizawl was for the High School Sports Com- dian team training camp for the that takes place in Indonesia in August and my pillar of strength and no matter what I petition where I had participated in the Kazakhastan's President Cup where I de- September this year. am today, whatever stage I have reached marathon race event. After I returned home feated the World No. 1 and Olympic Gold My victory over Dusmatov has also CMYK today, it is only because of my father and to Aizawl, my father told me to take up box- Medalist Hassanboy Dusmatov. greatly increased my self-confidence. My mother. I am lucky to have parents like ing seriously. So in January, 2011, I went to Q. Your recent performance in the next goal is to find a spot for myself in the them in life. the city to learn boxing formally. That was Kazakhastan's President Cup Quarter Fi- Indian Olympics team and win a Gold Medal Q. You said that you were a keen a big challenge for me because I was very nals where you defeated World No 1 and for the country in the Olympic Games. CMYK CMYK.

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