Amit Panghal is back on track with a gold medal at the Indian Men’s National Championships
The Indian Men’s Elite National Championships was held in the city of Shillong, which is located in the Northeast part of the country, and it is the capital of Meghalaya State.
Their male boxers did not get any quotas for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games yet which means all of their top seven stars will be competing at the 1st World Olympic Boxing Qualifying Event in Italy from February 29.
The Indian Men’s Elite National Championships was a selection competition for the next Qualifier where the target is to earn as many spots for Paris 2024.
Altogether 398 boxers from 37 teams competed for the 13 titles in the new edition of the National Championships. The team of the Services Sports Control Board won 10 out of the 13 gold medals in Shillong while one of the top squads, the Haryana was not able to take any titles in the Nationals.
Barun Singh became the first winner in the Indian Men’s Elite National Championships in the busy minimumweight (48kg) after beating another young talent in the category, Manipur’s Yaiphaba Soibam in the final.
The former Asian Games winner and ASBC Asian Champion Amit Panghal returned with a gold medal at the flyweight (51kg), the Tokyo Olympian boxer worked hard to regain the top of the podium in India following his success over Anshul Punia.
Following Lalit’s tight victory over Pawan at the bantamweight (54kg), SSCB’s Asian Games quarter-finalist Sachin Siwach defeated Sachin in the final of the important featherweight (57kg) in Shillong.
Shiva Thapa, the recorder ASBC Asian medallist, had a very difficult job in the final of the light welterweight (63.5kg) against the 19-year-old Youth World Champion Vanshaj. He used his routine and speed to beat his super talented younger rival in this final contest but Vanshaj proved that he will have bright future in the elite boxing.
An experienced light middleweight (71kg) boxer, Akash defeated Assam’s surprise Abhinab Saikia in the final of the next Olympic category. Lakshya Chahar also proved his very best against Rajasthan’s Harsh Choudhary and took the title of the light heavyweight (80kg).
Sanjeet Kumar, the 2021 ASBC Asian Champion, defeated all of his main rivals at the heavyweight (92kg) including international boxers such as Naman Tanwar and Naveen Kumar.
Jaipal Singh had a disadvantage against the Commonwealth Games silver medallist quick Sagar Ahlawat but he knocked out his rival in the third round at the super heavyweight (+92kg) final.
The best Indian boxers will be attending at the upcoming Boxam and Strandja Tournaments in Spain and in Bulgaria from next week.
The list of the winners at the Indian Men’s National Championships
48kg: Barun Singh 51kg: Amit Panghal 54kg: Lalit 57kg: Sachin Siwach 60kg: Akash 63.5kg: Shiva Thapa 67kg: Rajat 71kg: Akash 75kg: Deepak 80kg: Lakshya Chahar 86kg: Jugnoo 92kg: Sanjeet Kumar +92kg: Jaipal Singh
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