World-renowned veteran coach Dmitry Dmitruk is the new foreign coach of the Indian boxing teams, taking over from Spaniard Raffaele Bergamasco as the coach in charge of both the men's and women's teams.
The Boxing Federation of India (BFI) announced Dmitruk's appointment on Tuesday as the spearhead of the country's elite teams for the next two years on the international stage.
Dmitruk, who served as the high-performance coach of the Irish Athletic Boxing Association (IABA) as well as the Irish National Junior and Youth Teams for the last 12 years, will be leading Indian boxing's men's and women's teams as a foreign coach for the upcoming elite competitions.
Speaking on the appointment of Dmitruk, Boxing Federation of India President Ajay Singh said: "We are very happy to announce Dmitry Dmitruk as the foreign coach of the Indian boxing team. Dmitruk has proven coaching credentials while working with the Irish Athletic Boxing Association.
"We have full faith in his abilities to mentor the talented boxers of our country. His appointment will certainly bolster our ambition to maximise India's medal prospects at the Paris Olympics 2024. Dmitruk's vast experience and abilities will enhance the performance of our men's and women's teams. I am sure the youth and junior boxers too will be benefitted from his presence," the BFI president was quoted as saying in a release on Tuesday.
The 47-year-old Dmitruk has played a key role in elevating the Ireland boxing team's performances and nurturing young talent over the course of his 12-year stint in Ireland.
He has coached notable boxers such as Joe Ward to multiple World Championships silver medals in 2015 and 2017 and Grainne Walsh to a bronze at the 2019 European Games. As part of the Irish boxing team's coaching staff, he contributed significantly to the qualification of the country's boxers for the 2016 Rio Olympics.
Speaking on the appointment of Dmitruk, Boxing Federation of India's Secretary General Hemanta Kumar Kalita said; "The arrival of Dmitruk as foreign coach is going to provide a massive boost to the country's boxing team. The federation is confident that he will contribute to our journey with his vast experiences of managing pugilists across all age categories and creating champions and elevating their performances.
"India is already among the top three counties in the IBA's rankings and with Dmitruk joining the illustrious coaching team, I am confident we will be able to take the next steps to establish ourselves in tournaments on the global arena in a more assertive manner. I wish him all the very best and welcome Dmitruk to the BFI family," he was quoted as saying in a release.
Dmitruk takes charge of both men's and women's teams. India has produced scintillating displays in recent times at the World Championships, Commonwealth Games as well as Asian Games, clinching numerous medals to establish the country's name as a prominent unit among the top teams all over the world.
"India has emerged as a boxing powerhouse in recent times and I am extremely delighted to get the opportunity of coaching this talented group of pugilists. With the experience I have garnered in my career, I am confident that we will continue to achieve similar glory in prestigious tournaments together. I am excited to start working with the team and contribute to raising the bar of performance over the next couple of years," said Dmitruk, the new foreign coach.
Dmitruk's training has not only yielded success for the senior professional boxers but also the youth teams which is a testament to his wide array of skillset that will promote the development of Indian boxing.