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Lower than three months earlier than the Beijing Olympics, Vijender made the boxing world sit up and spot him. On the AIBA President’s Cup, he surprised the 2004 Olympic gold medallist Bakhtiyar Artayev of Kazakhstan. It was additionally revenge for the semifinal defeat in opposition to Artayev on the 2006 Asian Video games.
Vijender knew he was prepared for Beijing, after which ‘issues’ began telling him that one thing particular was on its method. It turned out to be a historic Olympic bronze — the primary medal for India in boxing.
“I imagine in indicators,” mentioned Vijender speaking to Timesofindia.com, as he loved sitting beneath an overcast sky on the terrace of his house in Delhi.
“I used to like Audi vehicles at the moment. After I landed in Beijing, I noticed quite a lot of Audis. I believe it was additionally one of many official sponsors of the 2008 Olympics.”
Vijender Singh (Twitter Picture)
It caught Vijender’s consideration, however only for these 30-45 minutes whereas the contingent was being pushed to the Athlete’s Village.
“Three of us have been sharing the identical room on the Village — Dinesh (Kumar), Anthresh (Lakra) and I — and I shortly took the mattress close to the window (laughs).”
Vijender’s opening bout of the middleweight division was on August 9. It was a straightforward 13-2 win over Jack Badou of Gambia. There was a niche of seven days earlier than the pre-quarterfinal bout. In between, one other incident strengthened Vijender’s perception in “indicators”.
“We had simply completed our breakfast when a overseas coach approached me. He was from Iran or Iraq, I do not bear in mind precisely,” mentioned Vijender sifting via his recollections.
“He addressed me in damaged English, ‘India, India? (you’re from India?)’. I nodded, and he went on so as to add: ‘India good, you’ll get (win a medal).’ I do not know if he knew me or not, however he got here to me instantly. I all the time bear in mind this.
“These have been the little issues that grew to become indicators, made me optimistic.”
Picture credit score: Vijender Singh’s Twitter deal with
Earlier than the Beijing Video games, Vijender’s declare to fame was an Asian Video games bronze medal and a silver on the Commonwealth Video games, each in 2006. In his Olympic debut two years earlier than that in Athens, Vijender was ousted within the first spherical of the welterweight division by Turkey’s Mustafa Karagollu.
However the scenes at Beijing grew to become an increasing number of promising with each bout. Vijender progressed to the quarterfinals with one other spectacular win, a 13-3 victory over Thailand’s Angkhan Chomphuphuang within the Spherical of 16.
The last-eight bout was 4 days later, on August 20, in opposition to Ecuador’s Carlos Gongora.
Gongora, too, had entered the quarterfinals with a rousing 12-1 triumph. With each Vijender and Gongora towering at 6 ft in peak, the attain of their punches was a typical energy.
A win within the quarterfinals additionally got here with the added assurance of ending up on the rostrum (a semifinal look in boxing is rewarded with a bronze medal, even when the athlete loses).
Historical past was within the making, and an in depth contest was anticipated. It turned out to be one.
Vijender gained the hardest battle of his profession and have become the primary ever boxer from India to win an Olympic medal, with the color to be determined within the semifinals. He defeated Gongora with a margin of 9-4 in the long run.
The excitement throughout the Indian contingent was palpable, and Vijender was flooded with congratulatory messages. However the euphoria, maybe, shifted Vijender’s focus whereas nonetheless being within the fray for gold.
Vijender realises now that the celebrations may have waited.
Picture credit score: Vijender Singh’s Twitter deal with
“I imagine till an athlete is within the competitors, he shouldn’t exit usually or meet individuals. That is the error we made (earlier than the semis). I nonetheless do not forget that. However that is what it’s, we be taught,” he mentioned with a way of remorse in his voice.
The semifinal in opposition to Cuba’s Emilio Correa was one other punch-for-punch battle. However the Cuban managed to get the higher of Vijender and gained 8-5.
However historical past was made on August 22, 2008. A boxer from India, Vijender Singh, had gained an Olympic medal for the primary time. He’s nonetheless the one male boxer to take action. MC Mary Kom grew to become the primary Indian feminine boxer to attain the feat along with her bronze on the London 2012 Video games.
“I used to be the underdog,” Vijender, who acquired the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna in 2009 and the Padma Shri in 2010 additional instructed TimesofIndia.com.
“After I got here again from Beijing, my associates known as me and mentioned, ’till now we had solely seen in films how life can change’.
“Two years later, in 2010, I used to be driving my very own Audi. The indicators have been there.”
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