CHENNAI: Jaismine Lamboria was a cut above the rest during the just-concluded women's national boxing championship in Greater Noida. The 23-year-old wiped the floor during the elite domestic competition to capture the gold medal. For her dominant effort, the Bhiwani girl was adjudged the 'Best Boxer' of the tournament. It's a start full of promise, especially after her tame effort in the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Such was her dominance in Noida that the referee was forced to stop the contest at least twice during her gold-winning campaign. Jaismine, who plies her trade in the 54-57kg category, is obviously pleased with her effort and intent on building her game further ahead of more-challenging competitions in the months to come.
Paris Games was bittersweet for the 23-year-old. Having secured her Olympic dream in the eleventh hour, she had suffered an early exit during the marquee competition. With the other Indians also failing to obtain the coveted medal, it was a significant blow for someone like Jaismine then. But the youngster, who has evolved to take setbacks in her stride, is just looking to build on her most-recent success and become a more-rounded operator.
"Taking part in the Paris Olympics was a massive step in my journey. Now, from every competition, every bout, I get to learn something or the other. I got to learn a great deal from Paris Games and I got to learn a lot from the nationals as well," Jaismine said.
Competitions have been at a premium for the likes of Jaismine with the Boxing Federation of India (BFI) focussed on its elections. However, Jaismine had been doing her homework. She had been training at the Army Sports Institute in Pune under the watch of some well-known coaches like Chhote Lal, who formerly used to guide MC Mary Kom. Indians boxers have been accused of being reactive in the ring, especially at the elite level. That is something Jaismine has been looking to address in recent times.
"I have been working to add strength to my punches and be more aggressive. I'm also looking to improve the tactical side of the game. In regards to that, I'm looking at things like how I should manage a bout, depending on my opponent. I also want to be able to impose my game. Those are aspects that I'm looking to elevate. If I can improve on those aspects, I can certainly go higher," Jaismine, who's backed by Olympic Gold Quest, said.
Coming from a sporting family, boxing is in her blood. She has medalled at competitions like Commonwealth Games (2022) and Asian Championships (2021) and her talent is unquestionable. However, there have been times when she has seemed frozen inside the ring when the stakes were high. The 2023 World Championships in New Delhi and the Asian Games in Hangzhou were two such instances. After that, she was in the background and not considered No 1 (India rankings). "My door seemed shut and I was not part of the equation but I was not perturbed. I just wanted to focus on my game and target the World Championships," she recalled.
Like many sports at the elite level, it's the fine margins that generally tend to separate the best from the rest. Her performance during the Olympics might have been a blur but she has taken notes of values that could take her a long way. "Watching some of the top athletes, I have learnt to stay cool over the years. I continue to keep faith in myself and I know that eventually, I'll get what I want. I just look to give my best and don't focus too much on the outcome."
Indian boxing fraternity will hoping that she can continue translate her national success at the international level in the days to come.