I am young …& I have a dream: Akhil Kumar

Ace Indian pugilist Akhil Kumar is being dubbed as one of the best medal bets for India in Beijing Olympics. In an exclusive interview with Zeenews.com’s Himanshu Shekhar and Vaibhav Arora, Akhil Kumar talks about the sport that has transformed his life and his preparation for the big event.From having lost in the first round of Athens Olympics to striking Gold in the 2005 and 2006 Commonwealth Games, Akhil has come a long way. The 54 kg weight category boxer has been in great form off-late, winning three medals in the four international events he has participated in, since the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne. After a serious wrist injury that almost ended his promising career, Akhil came back in style to qualify for the Beijing Olympics by winning a gold medal at the 2nd Asian Olympic qualifying round in Thailand. In the same event, the pugilist also outclassed the 2004 Athens Olympics silver medalist Worapoj Pitchkoom. On being asked about how big a dream is it to win a medal at Beijing, the humble Haryana lad modestly replies, Sapne woh nahin jo aap sone ke baad dekhte hain, sapne woh hote hain jo aapko sone nahi dete. He further quotes Rajeev Gandhi’s famous speech and says, “I am young and I have a dream... ”. A dream which rest of India shares; an Olympic medal. Excerpts of the Exclusive interview: How do you rate your chances in Beijing? Every one who is participating has a chance to win and so do I. Although winning a medal is at the top of the priority list, the only thing on my mind is that I want to exploit my potential, to the fullest. What about your preparation for the big event? I am working hard on fitness and concentration on building power in my punches. The diet schedule is strict…no oily foods…there has to be a lot of sacrifice. But I don’t mind it, as long as I can manage to put up my best when it matters the most. Who do you think is your biggest threat in Beijing? Though I do not intend to take anybody lightly, teams like USA, Russia, Thailand and Cuba have a few good athletes. More than thinking too much about the opponents, I want to concentrate on my own game. You have been visiting temples for divine help. How important is that? I believe in God and seek his divine blessing before starting any campaign or journey. Beijing will be the biggest journey of my life. Apart from that, I feel a lot better and relaxed after offering a prayer. Boxing has often been in news for all the wrong reasons, especially the judging standards. Do you think it is time the rules should be amended to make them more transparent? As far as I am concerned I don’t think the rules are not stringent, but one can say that the interpretations need to be more transparent. There have been occasions when judgement differed by a few points on interpretations and boxers have lost because of their failure to manage the bout time. With technology’s help, however, such things can easily be avoided. Any change that makes the game more transparent is always welcome. Who is your role model? Although I like boxing legends such as Mohammad Ali and Mike Tyson, my role model is the great Prince Naseem Ahmed of Cuba. I admire him for his gritty display. There has been a great deal of outcry in the past about boxing being a dangerous sport, what is your take on that? I think every sport has some kind of danger involved. Boxing is a bit dangerous but modern technology and protective gear have ensured that it is no longer life threatening. What are your plans after Beijing? My coach says, jis kaam se pehchan bani ho woh karm na chhodna (Never quit the work which has given you recognition). So whatever happens at Beijing, I will continue to play the sport.