MAPUSA
Goa Amateur Boxing Association (GABA) has put together a team contingent of 13 boxers - 7 men and 6 women - which will be participating at the 37th National Games.
According to the Association, the team has been undergoing intensive training for close to 90-days now, under the guidance of experienced coaches and sports science professionals in Goa and through outbound training sessions.
The camp (non-residential) commenced on July 24 after a selection trials on July 21, 2023 at Salvador do Mundo, with national referee judges appointed. Until September 8, 2023 the boxers were given exposure training and competition with two teams that came in “ the Services team and the team from JSW IIS, Bellary due to shortfall of boxers and partners. The boxers also attended a residential camp in two phases outside Goa as well, held in Bellary and later in Pune for the men’s team and in JSWIS-Bellary for the women’s team until October 21.
Due to the lack of sufficient boxers and sparring partners in Goa, the camps helped the boxers to improve their skills and fitness, as well as to spar with partners from outside Goa.
The boxing team comprises several athletes, with men competing in weight categories ranging from 51 kg to 92+ kg, including AK Roshanzamir in the 51 kg category, Pralhad Harikrishna Panda in the 57 kg category; Akash Ramesh Gorkha in 63.5 kg; Rajat in 71 kg; Lokesh in 80 kg; Ayush Sai in 92 kg and Gaurav Chauhan in 92+ kg. On the women's side, Sakshi represents the 50 kg category, Suman Shriram Yadav in the 52 kg, Alina Ajil Isidore Dsouza in the 57 kg, Niharika Sreeram Gonella in the 63.5 kg, Shrisha Bhaskar Jampula in the 66 kg, and Sanamacha Chanu Thokchom Sanatomba Thokchom in the 75 kg category.
The team will be escorted by coaches Nilesh Khanolkar, Chitambaram Naik, Santosh Bhirmole, Velanky Dhumaskar and Madan Lal from the Services Sports Control Board as the coaches. Sarfaraz Hussain will lead the team as manager who is also a selector.
The president of GABA, Franky Veigas, congratulated the coaches and the support staff for their efforts in evaluating the boxers on a regular basis. "I am very proud of our team of boxers who have been working hard for the last three months at the residential camp. They have shown dedication, discipline and determination in their training. They have also benefited from the guidance of our coaches and sports science professionals who have helped them improve their skills, fitness and mental strength. I am confident that they will give their best at the national games and bring glory to Goa. I wish them all the best and I hope they enjoy the experience of competing at the highest level," he said.
GABA vice president, International Technical Official (IBA) and Chairman Technical and Rules Commission Lenny D’Gama has been appointed at Technical Delegate for Boxing while Treasurer of GABA and in- charge of the National Games team preparation Danuska Da Gama has been appointed as Director of Competition to oversee the sport which is to be held in Peddem.
