Latest news with #Worlds
Hindustan Times
2 hours ago
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
Boxing: Jamwal hopes to build on brilliant start
New Delhi: Earlier this year, when Abhinash Jamwal defeated Shiva Thapa in the semi-final of Elite Men's National Boxing Championship on his way to the 65kg title, he turned a new leaf in his fledgling career. A 2015 World Championships bronze medallist, Thapa, despite being over the hill, has had little trouble dealing with domestic boxers. Just last year, he had defeated Jamwal in Shillong on the way to national title, but this time, the youngster had his moment. Boxer Abhinash Jamwal returned with silver medals from Brazil and Kazakhstan legs of World Boxing Cup. (BFI) That was just the beginning of what is turning out to be a remarkable season for Jamwal. The 22-year-old went on to win a silver each in the twin legs of World Boxing Cup in Brazil and Kazakhstan and followed it with topping the BFI interim committee's week-long assessment in Patiala that earned him a first-ever berth for a senior World Championships. The Worlds will be played in Liverpool from September 4-14. 'I am eagerly looking forward to it. I have learned a lot from my recent international outings and have been refining my technique in the camp,' Jamwal said. Among the major learnings that he alluded to is the need to maintain intensity through the three rounds and look to dominate the opponent. 'The judges tend to lean towards the boxer who is assertive. I usually take the first round slow and attack in the next two, but that strategy needs to change if I want to win at the international level,' he added. Jamwal, along with 70kg boxer Hitesh Gulia, are the only Indian boxers to medal at both World Cups this year. Interestingly, Jamwal lost both his finals to the same opponent, Brazil's Yuri Falcao. The latter defeated the Indian 5-0 in Foz do Iguacu (Brazil) while their Astana showdown was much closer with Falcao winning 3-2. 'He (Falcao) is a good boxer but I don't think he won because of some glaring technical deficiency in my game. I put on a much improved show in Astana and the coaches told me that the bout could have gone either way. If we meet at the World Championships in Liverpool, the result will be different,' he said of the fellow 22-year-old. Early life Hailing from Baloh village in Himachal Pradesh's Mandi district, Jamwal comes from a humble family. His father, Vijay Singh, is a retired Havaldar in the Dogra regiment of Indian army while his mother, Meena Kumari, was a district-level kabaddi player. 'Both my parents are fond of sports and encouraged me to take it up in earnest,' he said. Jamwal's foray into boxing happened when, aged 8, he was brought to Chandigarh by his maternal uncle Rajesh Bhaboria for better education prospects. Taking note of his bubbling energy, his uncle took him to boxing coach Joginder Kumar, an Assistant Sub Inspector in Punjab Police who coached kids in a public park. In 2015, Jamwal participated in his first junior Nationals and a year later, was selected in SAI's Sangrur's centre. He broke into the junior national camp in 2018 and entered the senior camp in 2022 in the 63.5 kg class. It was a weight division dominated by Thapa and Manish Kaushik, but with both pugilists on their way down, the opportunity was ripe for Jamwal to step up. 'Shiva bhaiya is my idol. I have grown up watching his bouts and it was surreal to beat him this year. Even in defeat, he was very gracious and encouraged me to do better. Another boxer who I look up to is Vikas Krishan Yadav who has always been very supportive.' Last year, Jamwal competed in the second Olympic qualifier in Bangkok as a replacement for Thapa and defeated Lithuania's Andriejus Lavrenovas with a 5-0 verdict before losing to Columbia's Jose Manuel Viafara in the second round. 'It was a great experience as it happened to be my first international exposure. I observed the foreign boxers closely and took mental notes, all of which came handy this year,' he said. At the Worlds, Jamwal plans to rely on his superior reach to make an early impression. 'I am 6 feet tall which is a rarity in my weight class. I will look to use my reach to collect some points early on. Once I have sussed out the opponent, I can really go on the offensive,' he concluded.
Hindustan Times
2 hours ago
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
Anahat's junior Worlds run ends in semis
Mumbai: Anahat Singh went a step beyond where she had fallen the previous times but couldn't manage to go a step further, as she lost in the semi-finals of the 2025 World Squash Junior Championships to Egypt's Nadien Elhammamy in Cairo on Friday. Anahat Singh lost to Nadien Elhammamy in Cairo on Friday. (JSW/File) The only non-Egyptian woman standing in the last four, the Indian shrugged off a slow start to hold multiple game balls in the second and third games, but couldn't close it out in the 11-6, 14-12, 12-10 contest in which Elhammamy rode the crowd that was loudly vocal in the support of their home face. Anahat, 17, had crashed out in the quarter-finals of the junior Worlds for the past three editions and was eager to better that in Cairo. While she did become the first Indian woman to make the semi-finals since Dipika Pallikal in 2010 to secure the bronze, Anahat's aim of being the country's first finalist since Joshna Chinappa in 2005 was thwarted by the 18-year-old Egyptian. Anahat and Elhammamy have forged an interesting rivalry of late. They've played each other four times in the last two years, with every battle going the distance to five games. After Elhammamy had beaten her twice, Anahat turned the tide at the JSW Indian Open in March this year at home. At home this time, an in-form Elhammamy turned it back towards her. Like in their previous four clashes, a tight contest was on the cards and it lived up to that even though the straight-games scoreline would suggest otherwise. Elhammamy, with a packed crowd rooting for her, was off the blocks to a 5-0 lead before Anahat could settle into the match. She gradually began to, but the fast start meant the Egyptian had the opening game in the bag. The second game produced most drama, and twists and turns. In the deficit again at 3-5, Anahat turned things around to get into the lead for the first time in the match, at 6-5. And from there she kicked on, winning four straight points while dominating Elhammamy on the front court with her short game. At 10-5, with five game balls in sight, Anahat's big advantage soon faded. There were a couple of contentious refereeing decisions in those key points, which Anahat was visibly unhappy about. From 10-11 down now, she saved two game balls herself but couldn't on the third as Elhammamy snatched the game from Anahat's jaws. The Indian was still visibly angry about the refereeing decisions as she sat during the changeover. She came back and ramped up her aggression on the court and again raced to a lead. This time she had three game balls at 10-7, and again Elhammamy held on to eventually keep Anahat at bay.
Daily Record
10 hours ago
- Sport
- Daily Record
Luke Littler reveals the hidden tactics darts fans don't see as he adjusts for World Matchplay blockbuster
World Champion gearing up for massive Blackpool tie and solving a key issue in last-eight tie Wary Luke Littler admits he'll have the need for speed in his Betfred World Matchplay showdown against Andrew Gilding. The World Champion is just three games from winning his first-ever Blackpool darts title at the iconic Winter Gardens. Littler's next opponent is Gilding on Friday night and the teenage sensation is hot favourite to overcome the fans' cult hero and reach the semis. However, The Nuke is aware that it won't be easy with Goldfinger's steady and measured approach not as quick as the kid's pace of play. Littler admits it's something he'll need to address as the match unfolds and he attempts to hit top gear as he explained: 'You've just got to look at what's in front of you. Andrew Gilding, I've played him once before and you've just got to, for myself, find the routine because he's not the quickest. 'It certainly is going to be a challenge. Obviously, the pace isn't there for myself and, like I did at my first Worlds, you've just got to find some sort of routine that you can get into and I'm sure it'll be a good game.' Littler booked his place in the last eight with a thrilling fightback success over Jermaine Wattimena. The youngster was in huge trouble at 7-2 down, but fought back superbly to come through 13-11 in a nerve-shredding cracker. Littler pointed to the star on his shirt after sealing success and said: 'It was just saying to myself, saying to the fans, World Champion for a reason, we come back. And for myself, I always find these gears somewhere. 'Obviously for myself, I'd rather be blasting off into the lead like I did against Ryan Searle, but it wasn't to be and I pulled out the bag. 'Probably since the Ryan Joyce game, I've not let that much emotion out of me since then. But it's just good to show the emotion and show that I can always find a way to come back. That's probably one of the biggest wins for myself. 'No one can write anyone off. It's darts, anything can happen. Obviously we've seen some big shocks so far. But, like I said, you can't write anyone off. Whoever performs on the day they win.' Littler also revealed a plan for doubling that he uses after struggling on the outer-ring in the early part of the Wattimena match. He said: 'I've done it for many years and years. It's like whatever double I leave on the first leg, I'll sort of go for that in the first few legs and see how they work out. 'But ,obviously if you don't pan out, then you've got to swap and the tops and tens worked a little bit, definitely got me over the line.'
Hindustan Times
a day ago
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
Nikhat, Lovlina to spearhead Indian challenge at World Championships
New Delhi: Two-time world champion Nikhat Zareen and Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist Lovlina Borgohain will highlight India's 20-member squad for this year's senior boxing World Championships set to take place in Liverpool from September 4-14. The Worlds will feature all seven Olympic weight categories in men's and women's divisions along with three additional weights -- making it ten weight classes each for men and women -- as over 500 boxers from 60 nations are expected to vie for the world title. India's Zareen Nikhat will highlight India's 20-member squad for this year's senior boxing World Championships set to take place in Liverpool from September 4. (AFP) The squad was finalised on Thursday following week-long assessment at the National Institute of Sports (NIS), Patiala during which the boxers were tested for their skills, endurance, discipline, and resilience. 'The assessments were held in round-robin format with each boxer competing against 3-4 opponents. The process was quite exhaustive,' boxing interim committee chief Ajay Singh said on the sidelines of the felicitation organised for the 17 World Cup medallists from Brazil and Kazakhstan legs. Each gold medallist received a cash reward of ₹2 lakh, silver medallists ₹1 lakh, and bronze winners ₹50,000. BFI's interim committee has chosen to stick with the much-debated evaluation system from the previous Olympic cycle, meaning there were no trials for the team selection. The toppers in each weight division got an automatic berth for the Worlds. 'The boxers were primarily tested for their strength, conditioning, and endurance. Maximum points were reserved for sparring. There are also points for attendance, discipline, and weight management,' a member of interim committee informed. Nikhat had forfeited her final against Jyoti Gulia at the Elite Women's Boxing Tournament in Hyderabad earlier this month due to a cut above her nose but came back strongly in the assessment. Besides Nikhat and Lovlina, the bulk of the squad features medallists from the World Cup in Astana with Meenakshi Hooda (48kg), Sakshi (54kg), Jaismine Lamboria (57kg), Sanju Khatri (60kg), Pooja Rani (80kg), and Nupur Sheoran (80+ kg) all topping the assessments in their respective brackets and making the cut. The men's team wears a new look with the likes of double World Cup medallists Abhinash Jamwal (65kg) and Hitesh Gulia (70kg) qualifying. The lightweight division has been short of experience post Paris with both Amit Panghal and Deepak Bhoria out of the national camp. In their absence, the 20-year-old reigning national champion and Brazil World Cup bronze medallist, Jadumani Singh Mandengbam, topped the 50kg assessment and punched his ticket to Liverpool. Among heavier weights, Jugnoo Ahlawat topped the 85kg class while the experienced Narender Berwal aced the 90+ division. 'I have improved technically after the twin World Cup experience. I will try to be aggressive from the first round itself as judges always prefer dominant boxers. I hope to make an impression on my World Championships debut,' said Hitesh. Teams: Women's: Meenakshi Hooda (48kg), Nikhat Zareen (51kg), Sakshi (54kg), Jaismine Lamboria (57kg), Sanju Khatri (60kg), Neeraj Phogat (60kg), Sanamacha Chanu (70kg), Lovlina Borgohain (75kg), Pooja Rani (80kg), Nupur Sheoran (80+ kg) Men's: Jadumani Singh Mandengbam (50kg), Pawan Bartwal (55kg), Sachin Siwach jr (60kg), Abhinash Jamwal (65kg), Hitesh Gulia (70kg), Sumit Kundu (75kg), Lakshya Chahar (80kg), Jugnoo Ahlawat (85kg), Harsh Chaudhary (90kg), Narender Berwal (90+ kg). India-China to build boxing ties In a first-of-its-kind development, Indian boxers will train with their Chinese counterparts as the two nations seek to build boxing ties. A total of 42 junior girls and boys along with national coaches and physios will travel to China for 15 days next month in a move that the interim committee believes will upgrade the standards of Indian pugilists. 'We stand to gain a lot with this alliance. China are generally not open to foreigners training and sparring with them but they are impressed with the talent of our youngsters. We have been in talks for a few months and it has finally come to fruition,' a committee member said. Meanwhile, interim committee chief Singh assured the BFI elections will take place by the end of next month in accordance with World Boxing diktat. BFI elections were due in February-end but were delayed after a series of litigation. "The world body wants us to conduct elections by August 31, so we will tentatively hold the elections by Aug 27-28. We will start the process 21 days before that date, which means in the first week of August," he said.
The Hindu
3 days ago
- Sport
- The Hindu
Bhavani Devi all geared up for World fencing championships beginning July 26
Not being able to qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics made India's top fencer Bhavani Devi's days and nights longer. She didn't speak to her family for a while drowning in sorrow, disappointment and introspection. Like a true professional, she, however, quickly regrouped and has been fervently with her coach Christian Bauer in Padua (Italy) despite results not being favourable in quite a few tournaments. Never a quitter, the 31-year-old is gearing up to put her best foot forward in the individual women's sabre event of the World fencing championships to be held at Tbilisi (Georgia) from July 26 (Worlds are from July 22 to 30). 'This is going to be my fifth World championships in the senior category. I want this to be my best. My best result in Worlds was reaching the round-of-16 in the 2019 edition. I am looking forward to my event on 26th,' said Bhavani to The Hindu in a recent interaction from Padua. Training with Bauer, Bhavani said has been an experience in itself. 'He is a strict taskmaster. He is one of the best coaches in the world. It's not easy to train under him. We have to learn and adapt quickly. Our working relationship is getting better,' she said. In the last 12 months, Bhavani has participated in two Asian championships, in Kuwait and Bali, four World Cups in Oran (Algeria), Greece, Peru and Sint-Niklaas (Belgium) and two Grand Prix in Seoul (South Korea) and Tunisia. Her best has been reaching the round of 32 in Oran. While admitting that her performance has not been great, Bhavani insisted she is slowly getting to her best. 'I feel in the last three competitions, there has been improvements, especially after the Asian championship in Bali (from June 17 to 23 2025; Bhavani reached the pre-quarterfinals). I felt as if I was playing well as I did during training sessions. Mentally and physically, I am feeling better,' the Tokyo Olympian and the first fencer from India to make it to the quadrennial event, said. Bhavani, the 12-time Senior National champion, said it took time for her to come to terms with not being able to make the cut to the Paris Olympics. She said her faith in the process kept her going, the nagging shoulder problem notwithstanding. 'I had pain in my (right) shoulder during the 2024 Asian championships. There were few who suggested I go for surgery. In August-September 2024, I did rehab in Bengaluru under physiotherapist Yash Pandey. I focused on my recovery and am perfectly fine now,' she said, while thanking Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu for its continued support.
