CHENNAI: In 2017, as many as five Indian women boxers had dazzled to claim the top prize in the Youth Women's World Championships in Guwahati. Competing against some of the budding aspirants from around the world, they had shone the brightest. As many as three winners from that group are now part of the ongoing IBA Women's World Championships in New Delhi.
Nitu Ghanghas, Sakshi Choudhary and Shashi Chopra are three Indians bidding to repeat that magical run at the senior level. The latter, especially, was one of the standouts because of her catchy boxing technique. Sporting a boyish look, the Haryana pugilist's clever footwork and style had belied her age (she was 17 then). It only seemed upwards for Shashi and the rest of the medallists.
However, it has been a difficult journey for Sashi. Nitu recently became a Commonwealth Games (2022) gold medallist and Sakshi has been there or thereabouts but Shashi, who was inspired to take up the sport after watching MC Mary Kom win an Olympic medal in 2012, has been mostly in the shadows, unable to cope with the rigours of the sport at the elite level, the demands of 57kg category (her initial choice) weighing her down. Injuries, a common theme for a lot of combat-sport athletes, has also halted her momentum over and over again. All that is behind her now.
Having fought her way back to the fore, Shashi, who sports long hair now, is now looking to translate her promise to the senior level."This is my first major competition at the senior level. I have had injuries and I didn't participate in the last national championships as well. I participated in the recent nationals and won gold there to make a comeback," she said after an explosive start on Friday.
Shashi had won the aforementioned gold in the 63kg weight category. That change in weight category is something that seems to be working to her advantage, propelling her to the forefront again."I'm feeling very good. This was my first bout of the World Championships. I did what my coaches had asked me to do. I'm quite confident ahead of my next fight," Shashi, who outplayed Mwangi Teresiah of Kenya 5-0 on the day, said.
National chief coach Bhaskar Bhatt could not have been more pleased. Shashi and Bhaskar go back a long way. When Shashi became the youth world champ in 2017, it was Bhaskar who was ringside. Bhaskar felt that her decision to climb to a new weight category could prove to be beneficial now and, in the long run, give her the license to express herself inside the ring. "I think changing her weight category will help her a great deal. She will become a different boxer. She became a national champion in the new weight category and is here now," Bhatt said.
This is her first senior international competition in this new weight category. The coach felt that this World Championship experience will make his ward a different boxer. "She can do very well. I feel she still has plenty to offer and will gradually get better after this experience. Her confidence level will certainly increase."Shashi will hope Bhaskar's assessments will come to light.
Friday's results (Indians): Jaismine Lamboria bt Nyambega Beatrice Ambros (TAN) (RSC*); Shashi Chopra bt Mwangi Teresiah (KEN) 5-0; Shruti Yadav lost to Zhou Pan (CHN) 0-5. RSC*: Referee Stops Contest.
