“Many players are getting personal coaches in the national camp so why not me?” asks Amit Panghal
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Amit Panghal
Indian boxing ace Amit Panghal is making a name for himself as one of the best in the business at the moment. After winning the silver medal at the 2019 AIBA World Boxing Championships in the Flyweight division, Panghal assured his place in the Tokyo Olympics in early 2020 before clinching gold at the Cologne Boxing World Cup this month.
In the 52 kg category, Panghal was given a walkover in the final against German Argishti Terteryan. Although a walkover can’t be said to be ideal preparation before the Olympic Games, the boxer did have a hard-fought bout in the semi-final against France’s Billal Bennama.
Considered a potential medalist at the Olympic Games, Panghal has been in the news over the course of this year for not only his scintillating performances in the boxing ring but also for his allegations that there has been partial treatment in the boxing national camp wherein his personal coaches have not been allowed, unlike for other boxers.
‘Our sportspersons will be lagging behind without exposure’
Amit Panghal spoke in an interview with Dainik Bhaskar about the pandemic, his preparation for the Olympic Games and the allegations that he has made. Speaking firstly about the lack of match experience over the course of the year, he said, “I played the last tournament in February this year and now have taken to the ring in December. There has never been such a long gap since 2017. The training has not been the same during the lockdown. Thereafter, there was no partner to train with in the national camp.“
He then stated that he was still ready and raring to go by the time competitive boxing matches returned saying, “There was no difficulty in making a comeback in the ring because we had prepared ourselves for it. My opponent was a World Championship medalist but I had prepared for that. I won the gold and it got a lot of praise. He had also clearly trained during the lockdown and got the benefit from the same.“
Speaking on the lack of boxing matches this year in India, the boxer said, “In India, tournaments of contact sports like boxing-wrestling have not started. But they are happening abroad. If our sportspersons do not get the national exposure, they will be lagging behind.”
‘I have been demanding to include my coach for over a year’
Speaking about the upcoming and all-important Olympic Games, Panghal said, “The Olympic-qualified boxers are getting a lot of exposure now. For the Olympics, we need more training and more and more partners. The more training you do for the Olympics, the less stressful it is. There are the 4-5 months left and these times are precious to each and everybody. These times can change everything for us. It all depends on how well we train that will decide if we bring home a medal“
On being asked about his preparation for the World Cup where he won gold, “I did not miss my training a single day in lockdown. I continued to train with my coach. We worked on many aspects. He removed my shortcomings and when I went to the national camp, I started well. Even before the World Cup, I spoke with coach Sir and took tips from him. He worked a lot with me and the result is before you. He boosted my confidence and this is the result of our hard work,” the 25-year-old said, crediting his coach Anil Dhankar.
Finally addressing the allegations that he had already made with regard to the national camp, “I have been demanding to include my coach in the national camp for a year. But the permission has not been granted. Many players are getting personal coaches, physio, trainers, so why not me. With their being, I can prepare myself well. If the coach is not included in the camp, I will not participate in it and would rather train at home,” he signed off.
Also Read: Amit Panghal clinches gold at Boxing World Cup; Satish Kumar sustains injury and settles for silver
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Nevin Clinton
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