Year 2008, August 20, will be forever etched in the memory of sports
lovers in India. A country that had managed only one medal in the
previous Olympics managed to win two on a day, taking India’s tally to
an unprecedented three medals at Beijing.
Hours after Sushil Kumar wrote his name on history books, boxer Vijender Singh assured himself of a medal by winning the quarterfinal bout against Ecuador’s Carlos Gongora. Having lost to Cuba’s Emilio Correa in the semifinals, Vijender settled for a bronze. For the first time ever, an Indian boxer had won a medal at the Olympics. The news was met with disbelief and elation. An Indian winning a medal at the Olympics was rare. People wondered if his opponents had truly mounted a challenge.
Vijender, though, had a laser-like goal: win a medal. Four years ago, he disappointed at Athens. He more than made amends at the 2006 Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games in the same year.
Naturally, he’d a pep in his step at Beijing. In the round of 32, he thumped Badou Jack of Gambia 13–2. In the round of 16, he defeated Angkhan Chomphuphuang of Thailand 13–3 to reach the quarterfinals. A win here would assure him of a medal, but the challenge was tough.
Gongora, a southpaw, had won the bronze at the Pan American Games in 2007 and was in top shape at Beijing. But he had no answers to Vijender’s uppercuts and left-hand jabs. The Indian pugilist won 9–4 to enter the semifinal and, in the process, create history. “This is a great day for Indian boxing. We’ve been under a lot of pressure recently so one of us had to do it,” Vijender said after the bout. “This was my best fight because I’ve achieved something for the country. I want to thank every Indian for praying for me.”
Hours after Sushil Kumar wrote his name on history books, boxer Vijender Singh assured himself of a medal by winning the quarterfinal bout against Ecuador’s Carlos Gongora. Having lost to Cuba’s Emilio Correa in the semifinals, Vijender settled for a bronze. For the first time ever, an Indian boxer had won a medal at the Olympics. The news was met with disbelief and elation. An Indian winning a medal at the Olympics was rare. People wondered if his opponents had truly mounted a challenge.
Vijender, though, had a laser-like goal: win a medal. Four years ago, he disappointed at Athens. He more than made amends at the 2006 Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games in the same year.
Naturally, he’d a pep in his step at Beijing. In the round of 32, he thumped Badou Jack of Gambia 13–2. In the round of 16, he defeated Angkhan Chomphuphuang of Thailand 13–3 to reach the quarterfinals. A win here would assure him of a medal, but the challenge was tough.
Gongora, a southpaw, had won the bronze at the Pan American Games in 2007 and was in top shape at Beijing. But he had no answers to Vijender’s uppercuts and left-hand jabs. The Indian pugilist won 9–4 to enter the semifinal and, in the process, create history. “This is a great day for Indian boxing. We’ve been under a lot of pressure recently so one of us had to do it,” Vijender said after the bout. “This was my best fight because I’ve achieved something for the country. I want to thank every Indian for praying for me.”
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