Boxing Nationals: Worlds medallist Parveen gears up for transition to Olympic

The 22-year-old is high on confidence after her showing at the Asian meet in Jordan where she cruised through her bouts to win gold.

Boxer Parveen Hooda had had a breakthrough season, winning a bronze medal at the World Championships and then following it up with a gold at the Asian Championships. The youngster is now geared up to compete at the National Championships in Bhopal in a new category (66kg) with an eye on the Paris Olympics.

Parveen Hooda

The ongoing Nationals are an opportunity for boxers to shift to Olympic weights (50kg, 54kg, 57kg 60kg, 66kg, 75kg) as next year will be the start of the qualification cycle for the Paris Olympics.

Parveen, 22, is high on confidence after her showing at the Asian meet in Jordan where she cruised through her bouts to win gold.

“I went into the Asian Championships with a game plan for every opponent. I am now facing them regularly and I am more confident. I am more of a counter-attacking boxer but in Jordan, I went with an attacking mindset and remained aggressive,” said Parveen.

With India hosting world championships in March and the Asian Games -- which will also double up as Olympics qualifier -- scheduled next year, Parveen said it was time for her to move to an Olympic weight category. Her national title last year in light welterweight (63kg) was followed by medals in two major international events in the same weight class.

“I cannot fight in a lighter weight because I am tall and its gets difficult to maintain weight. I feel weak. So, it's better to add a few kgs and fight in 66kg. The national championships will be a new start for me,” said Parveen, whose main rival at the Nationals will be Ankushita Boro who won bronze at the Asian Championships recently.

'Patience is key'

Looking back at her season, Parveen said she is happy to have finally made her mark. For someone who came to the national camp in 2017 as a talented youth boxer, it has taken some time to find her feet.

“The success has come after a lot of struggles. I had been very patient. At the youth level, I always used to be the second-choice boxer so I never got that kind of international exposure. At the 2018 youth nationals, I could not compete because my weight exceeded by 400gms. I cried a lot and stopped training but my coach (Sudhir Hooda) encouraged me and brought me back.”

“I knew I had the quality. I was beating the best in training. Coach sir told me that you never know, you may get a better opportunity in the senior level, so just stick around and wait for your moment,” she says.

That moment came when she defeated seasoned Laishram Sarita Devi in the national trials in 2019 and was immediately noticed. She was on the team for the South Asian Games, President’s Cup, Cologne Cup and India Open. “I played five tournaments in 2019, won five medals and it was the turning point. It was my first year at the elite level and since then I have not looked back. I learnt that you need to be focused and not give up, even when things might not go your way.”

It is not only in the ring where Parveen’s fighting spirit helped her change her situation but also at home. Growing up in Haryana's Rurki village, she felt the financial crunch and boxing was a way to get a job to help her family.

“I get my motivation from my mother and my coach who supported my boxing. My coach took care of everything, even though the financial condition at home was not good. I just wanted to get a job and support my family,” said Parveen whose father is a farmer. “The sport has helped me in every aspect. Now I have a sponsor and I also help my family financially. Things are better now.”