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Meet Manju Rani, 19-Year-Old World Boxing C’ships Silver Medallist

Manju Rani from Haryana made a dream run in her maiden World Boxing Championships to enter the final.

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Boxing
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At only 19, Manju Rani from Haryana’s Rithal village made a dream run in her maiden World Boxing Championships to enter the final, after having overcome tough opponents.

She defeated the top seed in the quarterfinal before triumphing over a more-experienced former World Championships bronze medallist in the semis to book a place in the gold medal bout.

Thirteen days before she enters her twenties, Manju fell short in the biggest bout of her career so far, losing to second seed Ekaterina Paltceva of Russia in the final, taking home a silver in Ulan-Ude on Sunday, 13 October.

But for Manju, who made the national camp this year, nothing has come easy.

Manju Rani from Haryana made a dream run in her maiden World Boxing Championships to enter the final.
Manju Rani lost her final at the World Boxing Championships.
(Photo Courtesy: BFI)
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Finding Solace in Boxing After Father’s Loss

Born and brought up in Rohtak, Manju lost her father Bhimsen Singh – a jawan in the Border Security Forces (BSF) – to stomach cancer nine years ago. It was his demise that led the youngster to take up boxing as a source of solace.

Not only did she box out her pent-up anger, Manju also grew confident and found a purpose as she continued to box. Her mother, Ishwati Devi, who was then the sole bread-winner in the family, stood by the teen as she pursued the sport.

“I always loved sports. I used to play kabaddi and go for runs at the village track. When my father died in 2010, I had a tough time dealing with the loss. Boxing helped me deal with my father’s death. It kept my mind away from the tragedy. I am sure my father would have been watching my bout from heavens,” Manju Rani told The Indian Express.

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‘Forced’ to Shift From Haryana to Punjab

As she came from a humble family in a small village without a boxing ring, Manju trained in mud. She further had to deal with another roadblock – alleged nepotism in her home state Haryana.

Even though she won the state championships, Manju was dismissed for the nationals, prompting her move to Punjab.

Three-times state junior champion, Manju not only managed to represent Punjab at the 3rd Elite Women’s National Championship last December, but also clinched a gold medal in the 48 kg category.

Manju Rani from Haryana made a dream run in her maiden World Boxing Championships to enter the final.
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From Nationals to Worlds

Deriving inspiration from her role models Vijender Singh and Mary Kom, Manju Rani has faced every challenge which has come her way head-on. The junior state champion from 2014 to 2016, a gold at the nationals earned her a ticket to her maiden international tournament in Bulgaria, at the Strandja Boxing Tournament, where she clinched a silver.

Rani then won a bronze at the Thailand Open after losing to Chuthamat Raksat in the semis, whom she eventually defeated at the recently-concluded World Championships.

The 19-year-old also bagged a bronze at the India Open before she defeated President's Cup gold-medallist Monika to seal a spot in the squad for the Worlds.

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