38th National Games: Sarita to lead Manipur boxing team

Manipur women boxers during practice session for the upcoming 38th National Games.

• IMPHAL — India’s former boxing ace Laishram Sarita will lead the Manipur state boxing team at the upcoming 38th National Games to be held in Uttarakhand from January 28 to February 14.
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• Former Asian Championship medalist and Arjuna awardee, Sarita Devi will lead the eleven-member state boxing team as team manager while SAI boxing coach Oinam Geeta Chanu and L Jipson Singh have been named as coaches.
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• Meanwhile, the state boxing team has already started intensive coaching sessions since the past three weeks.
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• “We’ve started our regular coaching sessions from January 3 and we’re planning to continue till January 27,” said coach Oinam Geeta Chanu, while supervising the boxers at Sarita Boxing Academy in Imphal West district.
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• “This time our boxers are preparing with an objective to earn more medals than the previous records.”
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• A total of eight boxers including three men and five women boxers have qualified for the National Games. The men boxers are Brandon Oinam(71kg), Chinglemba Singh (51kg), Th Leninson (63kg), while the women boxers are Maibam Rosemary Chanu(50),S Bijeta Devi(54), Sovi Jajo (57), Th Kunjarani Devi (60) and Th Alena Devi (66).
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• On the prospects of the state boxing team at the upcoming national event, coach Geeta shared, “With signs of improvement in their skills and playing tactics, we’re expecting at least one gold and a silver medal each this time.”
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• Meanwhile, Manipur Olympic Association media committee chairman N Ibungochoubi also visited Mayang Imphal coaching site and interacted with the boxers and their coaches.
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• “This time I will try my best to bring home laurels” said Alena Devi Thounaojam, who won a silver medal (66kg category) at the 36th National Games in Gujarat.
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• In the 37th National Games, the state boxers managed to secure three medals including one silver (Jackson in 51kg) and two bronze (Ashalata in 51kg and Ojibala in 54kg) medals.