"The girls will do well" - Vijender Singh backs female Indian boxers to win medals at Paris Olympics 2024
Famed Indian boxer, Vijender Singh, has thrown his weight behind India's female pugilists to shine at the Paris 2024 Olympics. An Olympic medalist himself, Vijender feels the women boxers could outperform the male boxers at the Summer Games.
"I haven't really followed the fortunes of the male boxers, but whatever I have read about women boxers has been encouraging. The girls will do well, I hope we get one or two medals. It could be a silver or maybe even a gold," Vijender told PTI in an interview.
Vijender Singh who won the bronze at the 2008 Beijing Olympics is the first and only male to have won an Olympic medal in boxing. India's other two medals in the sport were won by Mary Kom (London 2012) and Lovina Borgohain (2020 Tokyo). The 36-year-old expects the tradition to continue and is hoping for them to go even better.
"It might be that they (the women boxers) will change the color of the medals," Vijender expressed optimism.
"There are less male boxers this time" - Vijender Singh on India's boxing contingent in Paris
India's six-member boxing contingent is primarily made up of female boxers. Nikhat Zareen (50kg), Preeti Pawar (54kg), Jaismine Lamboria (57kg) and 2020 Tokyo bronze medallist, Lovlina Borgohain (75kg), take four out of the six spots. Only two male boxers fill the remaining slots with Amit Panghal (51kg) and Nishant Dev (71kg) qualifying for the games.
Vijender Singh noticed the same and expressed his concern over a general deterioration in the performance of Indian male boxers at the Olympics.
"There are less male boxers this time. Earlier we used to have five to six but this time only two are going," he said, adding, "I don't know why the standards have fallen, may be the boxers themselves would be better-placed to explain what's lacking," stated Vijender.
The boxing events are slated to begin on July 27 with the young Preeti Pawar being the first to compete in the women’s 54kg round of 32.