Boxers Mary Kom and Manoj Kumar Look to Win Medals at CWG 2018

Here’s a look at the top medal contenders from each of the Indian men’s and women’s teams – Manoj Kumar & Mary Kom.

The Boxing Federation of India (BFI) announced the 12-member team for the Commonwealth Games, earlier this month.

In the men’s team, eight members formed a team – Amit Phangal (46-49 kg), Gaurav Solanki (52 kg), Hussam Mohammed (56 kg), Manish Kaushik (60 kg), Manoj Kumar (69 kg), Vikas Krishnan (75 kg), Naman Tanwar (91 kg) and Satish Kumar (+91 kg).

The women’s team comprises MC Mary Kom (45-48 kg), Pinki Rani (51 kg), Laishram Devi (60 kg) and Lovlina Borgohain (69 kg).

Here’s a look at the top medal contenders from each of the men’s and women’s teams – Manoj Kumar and Mary Kom.

Manoj Kumar

The 2010 Commonwealth Games gold medallist Manoj Kumar is not moving into this year’s CWG in the best of form. He clinched the bronze medal at the India Open International Boxing Tournament, before crashing out in the pre-quarters at the Strandja Memorial tournament in Sofia.

However, Manoj has been undergoing a strict training regime. He is working on fine-tuning his technique.

The preparation is on the right track. I have been working on fine-tuning my technique, especially the attack part. My foot movement is now faster, which can help me cancel an opponent’s move as quickly as possible. The boxing team will leave early for Gold Coast to acclimatise to the conditions. I will look to better my quarter-final appearance at the Glasgow CWG. I am confident of securing a medal this time.

Manoj Kumar told Times of India

The 31-year-old, who finished in the quarter-finals in the last Commonwealth Games, has won two Asian Championships bronze medals in his career so far.

Manoj Kumar won the gold medal in the 69 kg category at the Czech Republic boxing tournament in July 2017.

MC Mary Kom

Mary Kom made a scintillating comeback to international boxing when she clinched the gold medal at the Asian Boxing Championships in November 2017.

This was Mary Kom's first international gold medal since the 2014 Asian Games, and her first medal in over a year.

She topped the achievement with a gold medal at the India Open in February. Later in the month, the five-time World Championships gold medallist clinched the silver medal at the Strandja Memorial boxing tournament.

In an interview to Scroll in November, Mary Kom had said that she is eyeing a medal at the Commonwealth Games.

I will train hard and am once again trying to win a Commonwealth medal.

Mary Kom

The 2012 Olympic bronze medallist has not won a Commonwealth Games medal yet. Women’s boxing was included in the Commonwealth Games only in the 2014 edition, and Mary Kom failed to qualify for that event.