Boxers Jitender, Vijender India’s best hopes for Olympic medals (Preview)

Beijing, Aug 19 (IANS) Vijender Kumar and Jitender Kumar, who present the new face of Indian boxing, and possibly sport, get into the ring for their quarter-finals Wednesday. And that may be India’s last and best chance of a second - and maybe even a third - Olympic medal after a series of disappointments over the past few days.Save for performance from Saina Nehwal in badminton, there has been little to cheer for India since that moment of euphoria Abhinav Bindra provided for the Indian contingent by clinching a gold medal in men’s 10m Air Rifle event.

The 23-year-old Vijender squares up against 19-year-old Ecuadorian Carlos Gongora in the middleweight (75kg) category and Jitender, barely 20, in the flyweight (51kg) category meets the more experienced and three-time European champion from Russia Georgy Balakshin, who at 28 has seen a lot of action in his eventful career.

Both Vijender and Jitender hero-worship Akhil Kumar, who lost out in the quarterfinals of the bantamweight (54kg), to Moldovan Gojan Veaceslav. And if there is one lesson that both Vijender and Jitender would do well to learn, is to ensure they have a Plan B in place.

Akhil and the Indian team management for all their positive outlook were clearly out-thought as Veaceslav, was not only stronger than expected, but also had a very tight defence, which the Indian just could not penetrate.

Despite having realized that he could not land scoring punches, Akhil was unable to change his plan or strategy. As a result, he ended looking much weaker than he really was.

The Indian coach Gurbax Singh Sandhu admitted that Akhil’s defeat was a disappointment, because there were great hopes from him. “Yes, the two (Jitender and Vijender) were a little upset at Akhil’s loss, but there are ready to come out and give it all,” said Sandhu.

Vijender, whose Grecian looks have attracted international fashion magazines, comes to the Olympics with a morale-boosting win over 2004 Athens gold medallist Bakhtiyar Artayev of Kazakhstan, who was also adjudged the Best Boxer of the Games.

Vijender, who fought in the light welterweight (69kg) in Athens 2004, shocked Bakhtiyar in a competition in May this year. Bakhtiyar is still in competition here and is in the other half of the draw.

Gongora for his part made the round of 16 at World Championships in Chicago last year and he also won a title in Romania earlier this year.

Vijender said: “The win over Olympic champion Artayev has given me a tremendous boost.”

Many believe that Jitender may become one of India’s best bets on the global arena over the next few years, but for the present, he runs into Balakshin.

Jitender like Akhil is an aggressive boxer and the Indian coaches would do well to equip with him an alternative plan if his usual ‘all out’ style does not work.

Jitender, whose opponent Balakshin is a very experienced boxer, has got over the defeat of Akhil and said: “I want to win a medal for Akhil.”

Meanwhile, coach Sandhu is making no comments on the upcoming fights. “I just can’t comment about tomorrow’s bouts,” he said. “What we thought was ours we lost (Akhil’s quarter finals) so I can’t say about next bouts but I only hope that we will win two medals.”

The coach did add that Vijender was in good shape and form for the fight against Gongora.

Yet, he quickly added: “There is no question of underestimating Carlos. At this level one just can not under estimate any opponent and as far as Carlos is considered he has been put in the sleeper category by the experts.” Sleeper pugilists are those who are capable of creating upsets.

In amateur boxing, where landing scoring punches is the key and a tight defence can often frustrate more aggressive and attractive boxers, a smart strategy will play a key role.

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Vijender Kumar moves to 2nd round boxing (Beijing 2008 Summer Olympics 2008 Boxer)

BEIJING: Vijender Kumar beat Jack Badou of Gambia in the 75-kg bout to advance to the second round of boxing competition at the Beijing Olympic Games here on Saturday.

Vijender beat Badau 13:2 in the Round of 32.

Olympics: Boxer Vijender Kumar through to quarters

Continue the magnificent spectacle of Indian boxers, Vijender Kumar stormed into the quarter-finals 75 kg average case of the Beijing Olympic Games after crushing Angkhan Chomphuphuang of Thailand 13-3 in a lop-front quarterfinal fight gymnasium workers Olympics in Beijing.

Vijender went on the offensive from the outset and easily controlled his opponent like India Joint superb reflexes with a control aggression, not giving a chance for the Thai.

After a cautious start and take a 2-0 lead in the first round, Vijender all in the second round to extend the lead to a healthy 6-1.

An unfortunate Thailand, trying too hard, saw its course is incomplete punched in the face of nimble feet by the Indians.

Angkhan could not score a single point in the third round while Vijender added four other making it 10-1 and writing was clear on the wall.

In the last lap, it was Thailand who won the first point, but it was too late by then. Vijender landed three times more precise on his opponent to clinch the issue 13-3.

Vijender is the third Indian boxer to take the quarter-finals after year Akhil Kumar and Jitender Kumar.

Vijender and Jitender will play their quarter-finals on Wednesday while his Akhil plays on Monday.

However, athletes have continued to put up a disappointing show launcher disc Vikas Gowda and short distance runner Mandeep Kaur (400 m) and the trio of JJ Shobha, Sushmita Singha Roy and GG Pramila hepthalon down the road Qualifying rounds.

Pramila has developed the best performance among the three Indians in the late 28 th in women's heptathlon, while Shobha and Roy are the 30th and 33rd respectively.

Pramila gained 983 points in 100 m hurdles, 903 in the high jump, 639 weight, 894 in every 200 meters and long jump, javelin throwing to 692 and 777 to 800 meters to finish with a total of 5771.

Shobha total 5749 (1033 +795 +732 +922 +922 +735 +725), while Susmita aggregated 5705 (963 +867 +613 +948 +948 +663 +808).

Nataliia Dobrynska of Ukraine won gold with a total of 6733, while compatriot Lyudmila Blonska (6700) took silver and American Hyleas Fontain (6619) bags bronze in the event.

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Boxer Jitender advances to pre-quarters

Jitender Kumar pummelled his Turkish opponent Ulas Furkan Memis in less than three rounds to storm into the fly weight pre-quarterfinals of the boxing competition at the Olympics in Beijing on Tuesday.

Jitender, who was making his Olympic debut, led 13-2 before Memis threw in the towel just a few seconds into the third round of the lopsided bout. Jitender, an Asian Championship bronze medallist, was aggressive from the word go and launched a flurry of straight punches on Memis, who was left scurrying for cover.

The Indian led 5-0 in the first round before stretching the lead to 9-2 by the end of the second round. The Haryana-lad rarely had his guard up but with lightening fast reflexes, he easily managed to evade whatever little challenge Memis threw at him.

Jitender's persistently aggressive assault left Memis with no choice but to surrender. Middle weight pugilist Vijender is the other Indian boxer to have advanced to the pre-quarters. Commonwealth Games gold medallist Akhil Kumar opens his campaign in the bantam weight category later in the evening.

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Akhil Kumar cruises to Round 2

Indian pugilist duo of Akil Kumar and Jitender packed enough punch in the boxing ring to stroll into the pre-quarterfinals in their respective categories in the Beijing Olympics on Tuesday.

In the 51kg category, Jitender Kumar pounded Ulas Memis until the 17-year-old pugilist from Turkey retired while trailing 1-21.

Later in the evening, Akhil tamed Ali Hallab of France 12-5 in the 54 kg category to reach the second round.

Jitender now meets Tulashboy Doniyorov of Uzbekistan while Akhil takes on 2007 world champion Sergey Vodopyanov in the pre-quarters.

Akhil was in control right from the beginning and led 4-2 after the first round. A lop-sided second round saw him stretching the lead beyond Hallab and the Indian did not break sweat in the last two rounds as he ambled to an easy win.

"My next round match is going to be crucial and fighting against a world champion is never going to be easy. I'll put my best foot forward," Akhil said.

Earlier in the day, Jitender was in complete control of the bout as he asserted himself on Turkey youngster Ulas Memis, who simply had no answer to the Indians.

Jitender led 5-0 after first round and though Memis put up a slightly better show in the second, the Indian landed a flurry of punches on the Turkey boxer to take an unassailable lead.

"I was confident that I would beat him, even though this was the first time we faced each other," Jitender said.

"We had same height but I was better in counter-punching. I attacked a lot because I wanted to score and win. My tactic remains to stay cool, for I perform better when I'm so," he said.

"I'll discus my strategy with Akhil tomorrow, along with the coach. We have to win a medal in this Olympics," he asserted.

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