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It was below his tutelage that Indian boxers delivered some unparalleled medal hauls and former nationwide coach believes historical past will probably be re-written in Tokyo with the nation successful multiple Olympic medal in boxing for the very first time.
Until date, India has two medals in boxing — the 2008 Beijing bronze from Vijender Singh and the 2012 London Video games bronze from M C Mary Kom. Sandhu was the nationwide males’s coach in each the editions.
The 68-year-old Dronacharya awardee, who’s now having fun with retired life in Patiala “working after grandchildren”, spoke to PTI forward of the upcoming Tokyo Video games and predicted a rare efficiency from the 9 who’ve certified. The Video games get underway on July 23.
“I imagine we’ll win multiple medal for the very first time in Tokyo and in addition the color of the medals may very well be higher than bronze. I’ve adopted the progress of this group, I do know them as properly as a result of I used to be nonetheless round when a a few of them got here into the camp. It will be a history-making Olympics if all goes properly,” Sandhu stated.
Sandhu was in control of the Indian males’s crew for greater than 20 years and he additionally served as the ladies’s head coach for nearly a 12 months earlier than retiring in 2017. It was throughout his tenure that Vijender grew to become India’s first males’s world championship medallist with a bronze in 2009.
In the course of the fag finish of his stint with the lads, Sandhu noticed present world no.1 flyweight Amit Panghal enter the camp.
Panghal is being seen as a positive shot medal for India on the Video games primarily based on his terrific kind up to now two years, which have included a gold medal on the Asian Video games, a silver on the Commonwealth Video games and an unprecedented silver on the planet championships.
“I do know him, I will not say intently, however I’ve interacted with him. To me, he got here throughout strong-willed and fearless. Additionally, he’s naturally very proficient,” Sandhu stated.
He, nevertheless, doesn’t imagine in selecting favourites.
To him, every of the 5 males and 4 ladies in Tokyo are in with a powerful likelihood of ending on the rostrum.
And he desires to speak extra about their strengths then dwell on the chinks of their armours.
“I can’t reveal my selection, I do know who may very well be the medal-winners however I will not add to their stress by taking names. As a result of in the event you take names then you’re including to the strain on them, and being a former coach, I understand how it impacts them,” he stated.
“Those who should not talked about can take negatively. They may really feel demoralised. It isn’t honest. They’ve all certified via a tricky system and deserve equal respect,” he defined his viewpoint.
Aside from Panghal, six-time world champion M C Mary Kom (51kg) and Vikas Krishan (69kg) are being seen as robust contenders for medals.
Vijender’s medal in Beijing was a catalyst for development in Indian boxing. Sandhu agrees with the evaluation however he additionally feels that the boldness seen within the boxers of right this moment is a notch increased, a results of relentless aggressive publicity.
“Positively Beijijng was a recent begin however what’s essential is that the momentum was sustained. And also you have a look at the boxers now, they appear to have robust minds, they discuss podiums with a perception which can’t be faked,” he stated.
“It isn’t empty speak, I can not recall them coming again empty-handed from any match within the final couple of years. That provides you real self-belief,” he added.
The boxers did draw a clean within the 2016 Rio Olympics although and Sandhu was in control of the crew at the moment.
“I’m 100 per cent positive that Tokyo will heal the ache of Rio. It was a really disappointing Video games however this time, it’ll be totally different,” he stated.
“Coaching has been very properly sorted. Coaches have labored onerous. The announcement of prize cash by so many state governments additionally provides to the motivation.
“The whole lot that has been demanded has been taken care of and now it’s the athletes’ flip to offer again,” he added.
Sandhu additionally spoke in regards to the emotional roller-coaster that coaches endure through the Video games together with the under-pressure athletes.
“One of the crucial essential reminiscences of my Beijing expertise was Akhil Kumar, he defeated world champion Sergey Vodopyanov within the last-16. No person anticipated that. That was one efficiency you possibly can always remember,” he recalled.
“The evening earlier than that bout, I used to be struggling to sleep. So I used to be simply pacing up and down within the hall. I feel Akhil observed it, he simply opened his room for a second and stated ‘sir aap aaram se so jao, iss wale ko to primary pucca marunga’,” he laughed.
“And he did it and what a efficiency it was. After that win, all people had informed us, you have obtained a gold-medallist in your crew. However he misplaced within the quarters and it was an enormous, large jolt for us. I nonetheless give it some thought,” he remembered explaining how feelings ebb and movement through the Video games.
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