JAIPUR: From playing Kabbadi to winning medals in boxing for the country, Saweety Boora has come a long way.
Though it was her father’s dream to see her as an engineer, she stood up for what she loved and is making her mark in it.
The boxer from Hisar was left gutted after she missed the opportunity to represent India at the Tokyo Olympics but she is determined to put that behind and focus on the next Olympic Games in Paris.
“I left the camp and came back because I wasn’t given a chance to participate in the Olympics qualifying. I came back home thinking that if I don’t even get a chance to participate in Olympics qualification what is the use of continuing with the sport? I have played at the world and Asian level. The only thing that I don’t have is an Olympic medal. I was even ready to take up kabaddi if this was the case,” she said.
However, she now remains resolute and determined to represent India at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
“I am someone who works day and night to achieve my dreams. I still have three more years to prepare for the quadrennial event and I hope to represent my nation in the next Olympics for sure,” she told SportsTiger in a video interview series 'Mission Gold'.
Before becoming a boxer, Saweety was a national level Kabaddi player. But her dad motivated her to take up boxing.
After realizing her love for boxing, she ended up at a trial in SAI in 2009 and lost the first round against a trained boxer. She then gathered her nerves and knocked out her opponent with just an uppercut punch and thus, began her ever-growing boxing career.
Remembering her first fight, Saweety says, “That was my first ever fight and the coach told my brother and my uncle that I am going to reach great heights in the sport. After that, I played for the state in 15 days where I secured a gold medal and within 3 months, I represented nationally where I again secured a gold. And then finally in 2011, I became an international boxer and secured gold again for the nation. In 2012, I entered the youth competition and secured gold and due to my performance, they took me in the senior camp.”
She has come a long way since then with one of the best ones being the podium finish at the 2014 World Championship where she bagged a silver medal. In recent times, the pandemic has been difficult for her like most athletes but she still managed to find success inside the ring.
“We practised at our homes for Asian Championship 2021, and though the camp was organized, it was only for players who qualified for Olympics. Five girls attended the camp while five practised at their homes including me. We weren’t expecting our participation as flights were banned because of the pandemic. At the last moment, we got the permission and I won a bronze medal in the championship.”
Despite her achievements, the boxer from Hisar hasn’t had luck on her side as she was met with disappointment just before the Olympic qualifications this year. Now it's all about regrouping and focusing on what is ahead for her.