New Delhi: It`s not everyday that an athlete
emerges champion even in defeat.
On August 22, 2008 Vijender Singh did just that when he
lost his semifinal bout at the Beijing Olympics but the bronze
medal that he settled for was the first that any Indian boxer
had managed in the world`s biggest sporting event.
He completes a "life-changing" year since that feat
tomorrow but Vijender says it is just like yesterday for him.
"It`s amazing, a year has passed since I won the Olympic
medal and what a year it has been. I still remember the days
in Beijing very clearly, it`s just like yesterday. Winning the
Olympic bronze medal was the start of a new life for me.
Everything changed after that medal," the 23-year-old middle
weight (75kg) boxer told agency.
"I lost the (semifinal) bout. It would have been nice to
have won and ensured that India`s first Olympic medal in
boxing was gold," the Khel Ratna awardee added.
"But I am proud of what I achieved and the fact that it
made such a difference to Indian boxing gives me immense
happiness."
The road to Olympics was a bumpy one for Vijender as he
had failed to qualify for the event in his first two attempts
and was battling a nagging back problem going into the third
and final qualifying tournament.
Vijender`s last shot at Olympic qualification was at the
second Asian Qualifiers in Kazakhstan. Perhaps marking a start
of the good times that followed, Vijender didn`t just qualify,
he won a gold medal.
A couple of months before leaving for Beijing, he pulled
off one of the biggest wins of his career by beating Athens
Olympics gold medalist Bakhteyar Artayev in the President`s
Cup to clinch India`s maiden medal – a bronze – in the
tournament.
Before heading to Beijing, Vijender said he was confident
but didn`t want to make any tall claims.
"I wanted to prove it in the ring. I am happy that not
just me but all the five boxers who went to Beijing made their
mark. Beijing gave me memories that I will cherish my whole
life," he said.
Once there, Vijender created such a buzz that even former
world heavy weight champion Evander Holyfield sat through his
bouts and even came looking for him after his semifinal loss.
"That`s what you live for as a sportsperson... to get
acclaimed by such greats," he said.
The day before the semifinals, he had picked up a calf
muscle injury and the after-effects of a grueling first-round
bout, in which he hurt his knee and collar bone, were still
showing.
"Yes, there were injuries but I have never cited them as
an excuse for my loss. I am happy with the performance I put
in and let`s give credit to the guy who won," Vijender said.
The strapping six-footer lost to Cuba`s Emilio Correa
Bayeux, who is now the world number one.
"There is no shame in losing if you know that you have
given your best and I know I gave my 100 per cent. So, having
gotten over the initial hurt, the defeat doesn`t rankle me
anymore," he said.
His life changed drastically after that and it`s a change
that has left him with mixed feelings.
"Felicitation after felicitation, getting recognised
while walking on the streets was a whole new experience for
me. It was hectic and tiring but who cares, I worked hard for
it. So I am not going to complain," Vijender said.
"I feel blessed and also consider myself lucky that my
hard work got me the results that I always wanted," he added.
Bureau Report
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