NEW DELHI: The expectations from the Indian boxing contingent will be high after their rich haul from the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games last month. The pugilists, both men and women, came back with nine medals including three gold from Down Under.
With the last date for submission of boxing squad for the 2018
Asian Games set for June 30, Indian men's contingent would feature in 49kg, 52kg, 56kg, 60kg, 64kg, 69kg and 75kg categories while women will compete in 51kg, 57kg and 60kg weight groups. The
Boxing Federation of India
(BFI) and their high-performance director
Santiago Nieva
have decided that trials will only be held in weight categories where competition is 'too close'.
"Let's say we have a boxer who was a medallist at CWG or other tournaments and has consistently beaten the number two or three boxer in his weight category. We feel there will be no need for a trial in that weight category. However, medals at the CWG don't assure an Asian Games berth because the boxers' form or fitness can flounder after that. I believe there is close competition in most of the weight categories," Nieva told TOI on Friday.
Nieva will travel with other members of BFI selection panel to Ireland, Russia, Kazakhstan, Italy and Mongolia. "The idea is to see the boxers' performance at national camps as well as on exposure tours. The final batch of boxers will be back from Mongolia on June 26. If we feel there is need for trials, they will be held on June 28 and 29 in New Delhi and Patiala," Nieva added.
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