'Boxing powerhouse' Bhiwani has high hopes for Indian athletes in the Paris Olympics

By Rakesh Anand
Bhiwani (Haryana) [India], July 27 : As many athletes from Haryana represent India at the Paris 2024 Olympics, boxers in Bhiwani, renowned for its strong boxing tradition and often referred to as "mini Cuba," are cheering for Team India.
Jasmine Lamboria from Bhiwani will compete in the 57 kg weight category, while Preeti Panwar will compete in the 54 kg weight category at the Paris Olympics.
National boxer Nupur, who aspires to represent the country at the Olympics, expressed confidence in both Jasmine and Preeti. "They have worked very hard for the Games, and I am confident they will return with medals for the country," Nupur stated.
Nupur added, "Vijender Singh is from Bhiwani. My late grandfather, Captain Hawa Singh, and Raj Kumar Sangwan are also associated with Bhiwani. Jasmine Lamboria, who is going to the Olympics, is also from Bhiwani. I am confident she will win a medal at the Olympics."
Bhiwani district is home to over a dozen boxing academies, where budding boxers from both rural and urban areas receive training. These include both private academies and those run by the Sports Authority of India (SAI).
At the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Vijender Singh won India's first boxing medal, bringing pride to the country on the global stage. Vijender Singh has been honored with the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award and the Padma Shri, India's highest sports award.
To date, around 3,000 national and international-level athletes from various sports have emerged from Bhiwani, earning it the title of "Sports City."
Kuldeep Singh, a senior coach at SAI Boxing Club in Bhiwani, said, "Excellent preparation has been provided by the coaches, the government, and the Sports Authority of India. Training has also been conducted abroad. With everyone's blessings, we hope they will bring home medals. Panwar trained at this very center, and Jasmine also received training here. We have seen their performance and are confident that they will bring home medals this time."
Boxing in Bhiwani began with the late Captain Hawa Singh, a heavyweight boxer. Sandeep Golan was the first Bhiwani boxer to compete in the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.
Budding boxers draw inspiration from those who have brought international acclaim to India.
Neetu, a boxer, said, "My performance has been excellent from the beginning until now. I won a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games and became the world champion in 2023. Competing in the Commonwealth Games for the first time and winning a gold medal has given me a lot of experience. Playing with top athletes has been invaluable. Our government supports us fully, and we have training camps."
The Indian government's sports policy has been crucial for medal successes, with Haryana enhancing this by offering DSP-level jobs and substantial cash rewards to medalists, further increasing interest in sports.