*Singh dedicates victory to coach, family, friends
Ajay Raina
JAMMU, Jan 13: Jammu and Kashmir boxer and Hawaldar in Indian Army Harpal Singh has brought laurels to the State and created the history by entering into the final of the ongoing 1st Elite Men National Boxing Championship at the rings of the Divisional Sports Complex, Nagpur, Maharashtra. He is the first boxer from Jammu and Kashmir, who has achieved this feat.
Harpal Singh, who joined the Army around 8 years back as Sepoy, started practicing boxing at MA Stadium under the able guidance of senior boxing coach Anil Kumar Wadhera.
Singh played various National tournaments earlier and gave his best performance into them several times. But this time, he realized the dream of making the Jammu and Kashmir proud by registering berth in the final of the 1st Elite Men National Boxing Championship.
Presently posted as Hawaldar with Army’s 126 BSR at Satwari, Harpal Singh crushed Naveen of DND in 75 kg category and entered into the final of the 1st Elite Men National Boxing Championship, which is scheduled to be played tomorrow.
In a telephonic conversation with the EXCELSIOR from Maharashtra, Harpal Singh said that the medal winning moment is very proudest for him and for the State also, as no boxer had achieved this feat in the history of Jammu and Kashmir.
He added that the whole credit of securing the berth in the final of this National Championship goes to his coach Anil Kumar Wadhera, who trained him with his full dedication and caliber.
“My coach is behind my success and I dedicate this victory to him wholeheartedly”, Singh said, adding that apart from my coach, my family members, friends and colleagues in Army are also behind my success, as they always encouraged me.
Senior boxing coach of J&K State Sports Council while talking to EXCELSIOR said that Harpal Singh reached in the finals of National Boxing Championship and this is for the first time in the history of Jammu and Kashmir that a State boxer reached to this level in Nationals.
He added that this will boost the morale of other boxers of Jammu and Kashmir and encourage them to work hard and with dedication to prove their mettle on the National and International levels.
In the ongoing 1st Elite National Boxing Championship, Harpal Singh of Jammu and Kashmir will now lock horns with Sukhveer of Railway in final tomorrow.
The J&K boxing squad has been led by Anil Kumar Wadhera, senior boxing coach, J&K State Sports Council and Dr Nirmolak Singh, general secretary, J&K Boxing Association.
Meanwhile, Olympian Sumit Sangwan and Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Amandeep Singh stormed into the finals of their respective weight categories.
Haryana’s Sumit defeated Rahul Pasi of Madhya Pradesh by 3:0 score in the semifinals of the light heavy (81kg) category and Amandeep got the better of Punjab’s Manoj Kumar in the flyweight (52kg) division.
Sumit will face Himachal Pradesh’s Geetanand in the light heavy weight category final and Amandeep will be up against Odisha’s Yogindera.
In one of the most anticipated bouts of the day, M Thomas of Manipur defeated Assam boxer Govind Thapa in the semifinals of 64kg division.
Thomas will now be up against Services boxer Duryondyan Singh, who beat Murunal Bhosale of Maharashtra.
The six-day long 1st Elite Men National Boxing Championship is being organized by Maharashtra Boxing Association under the aegis of Boxing India Federation at Nagpur, Maharashtra.
It is to mention that, Harpal Singh was also among four other boxers, who had qualified for the National Game of India to be held at Kerala from January 31 to February 14. The boxers are Pardeep Sharma, Dheeraj and Ashish Jasrotia.
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