India has one of its strongest-ever women's boxing teams for CWG: Mohammed Ali Qamar

New Delhi: Indian boxing great and former coach Mohammed Ali Qamar believes the country has fielded one of its best ever women's squad at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games and each one of the seven members is capable of coming back with a medal.

Qamar, however, also made it clear that a lot will depend on the draws that the boxers are handed. India has picked a 14-member squad, comprising seven men and as many women. The boxing competition at the CWG will get underway on Friday.

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"Boxing has always won medals in the Commonwealth Games. And even this time, the boxers who are going are very experienced. They have won medals in many competitions. I am sure India will have a good performance in the CWG," Ali, who was the women's head coach for nearly six years including the Tokyo Olympics, told PTI in an exclusive interaction.

Qamar was the first Indian boxer to win a CWG gold when he became the light flyweight champion at the 2002 Manchester Games. A nose injury after that cut short his career and before becoming a coach, he also served as a member of the national selection committee.

He is no longer a part of the coaching set up for women, which is headed by Sweden's Santiago Nieva. But having known the boxers and their work ethic, Qamar said he is confident of a strong performance.

"Many boxers that I prepared for the Tokyo Olympics are going to this Commonwealth Games like Jaismine (Lamboria, 57kg) and Lovlina (Borgohain, 75kg). We had kept Arundhati Choudhary (70kg) as a sparring partner. Priya (60kg) has come in as a senior from a youth group, but now she is doing well. So there is a lot of hope," he observed.

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The Arjuna and Dronacharya awardee is keenly looking forward to a strong performance from the seasoned Lovlina. The reigning world champion, who won a bronze in the Tokyo Olympics, is eyeing her maiden podium finish at the Games.

"Lovlina has been competing for many years. She has an Olympic medal. She has a lot of experience. She has been playing for a long time. Her last performance was a little weak. and she will be eager to prove her mettle," Qamar said referring to her bronze-wining show at the Asian Championships in May.

"Lovlina will do well. Arundhati, Sakshi, Parveen(65kg), Jaismine, Preeti (Pawar, 54kg), Priya. All of them are good boxers. I hope they perform well and win a medal," he said.

Qamar said while the women are doing fine internationally, the men have slipped significantly.

"Women's boxing has come ahead. Every time there are medals in women's boxing, it is improving...the men's performance is down. Now look, Santiago was with the men in the Tokyo Olympics. At that time, no medal came. In women's boxing, Raffaele (Bergamasco) and I were there, so a medal came," he remarked referring to Lovlina's bronze in Tokyo.

Raffaele Bergamasco was Indian women's boxing's High Performance Director and his contract was not renewed after he declined a short-term extension following the Tokyo Olympics.

"Now Santiago has come again to take charge of the women's boxing team. And in men's boxing, there is (C A) Kuttappa. Kuttappa has been with the men's team for a long time. The performance is not coming, but still he has been kept," Qamar said.

"Where to keep which coach. I don't know how they (the national federation) are selecting. When the performance is not coming, then others should be given a chance," he signed off.