CHENNAI: “I'm watching bouts from the European Qualifiers.” That was Santiago Nieva’s response when asked about his status late on Sunday. It says a lot about him. Back in India after the Asia/Oceania Olympic qualifiers in Amman (Jordan), where the country’s boxers made history by securing nine Olympic quotas, his analytical mind refuses to take a break. “Boxing is our life.I love it,” Nieva adds.
His dedication to Indian boxing ever since his arrival three summers ago has seen the country’s pugilists break barriers. With the Boxing Federation of India (BFI) being pro-active, the boxers have improved leaps and bounds under Nieva’s guidance. The dust is yet to settle in completely as Nieva and the rest of the boxers have been advised to stay in isolation for some time. So they are yet to carry out a detailed analysis of the Amman performance. “The most important thing was getting the qualifications and we got the results,” Nieva notes.
Those results, according to him, came due to the boxers’ willingness to make a quick start and use the new open scoring system to their favour. “All our boxers started strong, getting the vote of at least three judges in the first two rounds. In that sense, they understood the importance of securing the first two rounds. In almost all the bouts that we won, we did well in the first two rounds. A strong start meant we could remain calm in the final round,” he reflects.
But securing places does not guarantee success at the Olympics. When India sent eight boxers (previous best) in 2012, just one returned with a medal. Also, India had just two finalists in Amman. Nieva knows his wards need to be in top shape at the Olympics. His eye for detail means the Argentina-born Swede is leaving no stone unturned. His scientific approach to training has improved boxers on many fronts — technique, strength-building exercises, nutrition and dealing with injuries.
“We are still trying to perfect those aspects. One of the things that we have been working on lately is close-range fighting. I have seen improvements in Amit (Panghal), Vikas (Krishan). But there is room for improvements. Amit had huge success boxing in and out. Given his height and also when he tires, he will end up being involved in close-range fights. We’ll put more emphasis on that ahead of Olympics,” the 44-year-old says.
Prior to the Olympic qualifiers, Nieva & Co were in Assisi, Italy, and they barely managed to get out of the country. The AIBA three-star coach admits that the uncertainty due to coronavirus was a tricky phase. “Actually, there was no panic situation even though we understood the importance of acting quickly. This has never happened before...this situation in Europe. It is unheard of. So when Jordan banned travellers from Italy, we were a little worried. But the organising committee arranged everything for us.”
Adapt is one word that he utters frequently. That is what he is doing. After a rigorous three months or so, his family was supposed to arrive in India but that plan has been shelved. “We always have to be prepared for the unexpected. We need to adapt to the situation and don’t let anything break our focus.”