Vijender qualifies for London Olympics
Vijender Singh ( 75 kg) became the first Indian boxer to qualify for the Olympics for a third successive time after reaching Asian Olympic Qualifiers semi- finals at Astana, Kazakhstan, on Sunday.
The first Indian to win an Olympic and World Championships medal ( bronze in both), Vijender outpunched Chuluuntumur Tumurkhuyag of Mongolia 27- 17 to assure himself an Olympic ticket.
“I am back”, said Vijender, 26, who failed in his first attempt last year. A loss in Astana would have ended his London Games dreams. “I have answered all my critics, who said I was finished.”
New Delhi, April 8: Shrugging off the disappoitment of last year’s World Championships, Vijender Singh on Sunday booked his third successive Olympic Games ticket by entering the semi- finals of the Asian Olympic Qualifiers in Astana, Kazakhstan.
The 26- year- old defeated Chuluuntumur Tumurkhuyag of Mongolia 27- 17 in the 75 kg category.
“I will now give it my all in the Olympics and prove that I am the best. It’s such a relief to have got qualified.
“The fact that I am the first Indian boxer to have qualified for a third successive Olympics makes it all the more special,” he said
Surprised by his ward’s show, national coach Gurbax Singh Sandhu said, “His fitness and endurance were a revelation in today's bout. He took me by surprise with the intensity with which he fought.”
“I don’t have words to describe how well he fought.”
With his qualification for London, Vijender became the fifth Indian boxer to book a berth for the mega event. He will now take on the bronze medal winner of the same tournament — Nursahat Pazziyev of Turkmenistan — for a place in the finals on Wednesday.
In the evening session, Sumit Sangwan ( 81kg) also entered the semi- finals by beating Korea’s Hyeongkyu Kim 22- 12.
But he is still not assured of an Olympic berth as the 81kg has just three slots on offer and if the 19- year- old loses in the last- four stage, he will have to fight it out in a playoff bout to get the Olympic berth.