Female boxers bound for World Championships
Boxer Shamima Akter survived only four minutes against five-time world champion Indian boxer Mary Kom during the semifinals of the 2016 South Asian Games in India, and that bout is inspiring the now 19-year-old boxer ahead of next month's AIBA Women's World Boxing Championships in India.
Shamima is the only boxer in the three-member Bangladesh team with international experience while the two other boxers -- Anika Islam and Farzana -- will be participating at the international level for the first time when they take to the ring at the World Championships in Delhi from November 13-25.
“The match against Mary Kom is still vivid in my memory even though I was technically knocked out in the second round. What I learnt from that fight was how to improve my feet movement and how to throw punches quickly. I have been trying to improve myself over the last two years,” Shamima said during an interval of training at the Muhammad Ali Boxing Stadium yesterday.
The three-time national champion will compete in 54kg weight category while Farzana and Anika will compete in 48kg and 57kg weight categories respectively.
Farzana has not yet made her debut in national women's championships, but the Grade-XII student of BKSP is excited and confident about taking part in the world championships after winning a silver medal in the inaugural Bangladesh Youth Games earlier this year.
“I am really excited because I am going to play an international match and a world championship match at that. However, I am a bit worried about how I would perform against the experienced boxers,” said Farzana, who started boxing in December 2017.
“It is true that boxing is a tough sport where courage and strength is necessary. I have come to this stage with a lot of hard work. I don't feel good in the ring if I don't execute a punch. I know I will lose in the world championships, but I want to fight as much as I can,” said Anika, who has two gold medals under her belt.
Coach Kazi Shahadat Hossain said that Bangladesh, where women's boxing started in 2013, has been given the opportunity to take part in the world championships for the first time this year.
“The girls are going to take part in AIBA Women's World Boxing Championships with a quest to earn international experience. They have been training for the championships since September 19,” Hossain informed, adding that the boxers are scheduled to fly for India on November 12.
Comments