Barinder Saluja, Chandigarh, Sept. 09 : Their punches have had such a resonance in the past two years that expectations are bound to be sky-high when Indian boxers, led by the effervescent Vijender Kumar and the experienced Akhil Kumar, step into the ring aiming for at least half-a-dozen medals at the Commonwealth Games this October.
Vijender was here in the city to inaugurate and promote Nike showroom & Nike Products at Sector 17 Shopping Arcade. On his presence he told the media that this time at CWG India will better all its previous records.
For all their success in the past two years, Indian boxers have managed just two gold medals — Akhil (2006) and Mohammad Ali Qamar (2002) — in the Commonwealth Games record books but the sport has not been the same ever since Vijender clinched the historic Olympic bronze in Beijing.
Indians have not returned empty-handed from any major international tournament since then and if the form continues, there could well be another medal rush in the offing at the Talkatora Stadium come October.
Leading the charge would be middle-weight world number one Vijender. The strapping six-footer from a Haryana small-town is undoubtedly the face of the Indian boxing and one of the few millionaire sports persons outside cricket.
For all their success in the past two years, Indian boxers have managed just two gold medals — Akhil (2006) and Mohammad Ali Qamar (2002) — in the Commonwealth Games record books but the sport has not been the same ever since Vijender clinched the historic Olympic bronze in Beijing.
Indians have not returned empty-handed from any major international tournament since then and if the form continues, there could well be another medal rush in the offing at the Talkatora Stadium come October.
Leading the charge would be middle-weight world number one Vijender. The strapping six-footer from a Haryana small-town is undoubtedly the face of the Indian boxing and one of the few millionaire sports persons outside cricket.
With less than a month to go for the Commonwealth Games, the focus is slowly shifting from all the controversies surrounding its preparation to what the event is all about: sporting performances. But with new scandals involving doping coming to light, the big question now is whether India can return its best performance at the 19th edition of the quadrennial event on home turf.
The 440-member Indian contingent is participating in all 17 disciplines at the Games and will be vying for 793 medals. There will be plenty to cheer for fans as they watch out star players like Beijing Olympic gold medallist shooter Abhinav Bindra, bronze medallists Sushil Kumar and Vijender, badminton World No 3. Saina Nehwal and tennis stars Sania Mirza, Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi who will lead the Indian challenge at the Games. India finished fourth at the previous edition at Melbourne, but its 50 medals, including 22 gold, were way behind the top three — Australia (221), England (110) and Canada (87). At Manchester in 2000, India had won 69 medals, but this again was quite distant from Australia (207), England (166) and Canada (118).