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Boxing
In Conversation with Sarjubala Devi
The Bridge got together with Sarjubala Devi from the 2018 SpiceJet India Open for a chat. Here are excerpts from the interview: Team Bridge: Tell us something about your yesterday's match. Sarjubala: Yesterday was my quarterfinal match and I got a bye before that. I played really well, especially the last round. I was feeling cold but overall it was a good match. TB: Why are championships like this important? Sarjubala: We are coming to this International championship right after the nationals, even though there is a gap of ten days. It's very important for us as this championship is happening for the very first time in India. It's important for us to win Gold in this championship to prove our supremacy. TB: How is your preparation coming up for the 2018 Commonwealth Games? Sarjubala: Yes, I am looking up to it. Earlier I used to participate in the under 48kg weight category but now I have put on weight to move to the under 51kg weight category because I want to get selected for the Commonwealth Games. I won Gold in the Nationals and also got the best boxer award. It's very important for me to win Gold at the India Open if I have to secure my birth for the Commonwealth Games. 
TB: What is your daily routine like? Sarjubala: I am at the Rohtak Camp right now. We will move to Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium on the 11th. From 7:30 AM to 9:00 AM we have a warm-up session followed by the co-ordination training. We are a team of 15-16 people and our Foreign Coach from Italy, Rafael is also a part of that session. We have another session at around 11'o clock where we do the sparring training. We have the 3rd training session at around 5 PM in the evening. TB: Is Tokyo 2020 on Sarjubala's mind somewhere? Sarjubala: Yes, that's right! My aim is to represent India at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and that's why I have come in the under 51kg weight category. I really want to give my best efforts and qualify for it and win medals for the country. TB: What if MaryKom competes in the under 51kg weight category? Do you have a strategy to fight and win her? Sarjubala: Sister Mary is a boxer and I am a boxer too. She has more achievements than me but then this is what the sport is all about. To try and do better against anyone who competes against you. There are 9 more athletes in the camp in the under 51kg weight category and there could be many more, but only the best out of us will move ahead. TB: What all championships you are targeting this year? Sarjubala: Well, my first target is to get a medal in 2018 India Open and become a champion. We have the Commonwealth Games coming next for which we will have the selection trails and then we have the Asian Games. We have an AIBA Sponsored Women's Boxing Championship coming as well. Yes, we do have a lot of competitions this year. TB: The Indian Women Boxing team has got a new foreign coach. What is training under him like? Sarjubala: It's just been 10 days that Rafael has joined this responsibility. He is more focused towards co-ordination training. He picks up little things during the training sessions and asks us to focus on it. We really are looking forward to better insights from him.
TB: What is your daily routine like? Sarjubala: I am at the Rohtak Camp right now. We will move to Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium on the 11th. From 7:30 AM to 9:00 AM we have a warm-up session followed by the co-ordination training. We are a team of 15-16 people and our Foreign Coach from Italy, Rafael is also a part of that session. We have another session at around 11'o clock where we do the sparring training. We have the 3rd training session at around 5 PM in the evening. TB: Is Tokyo 2020 on Sarjubala's mind somewhere? Sarjubala: Yes, that's right! My aim is to represent India at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and that's why I have come in the under 51kg weight category. I really want to give my best efforts and qualify for it and win medals for the country. TB: What if MaryKom competes in the under 51kg weight category? Do you have a strategy to fight and win her? Sarjubala: Sister Mary is a boxer and I am a boxer too. She has more achievements than me but then this is what the sport is all about. To try and do better against anyone who competes against you. There are 9 more athletes in the camp in the under 51kg weight category and there could be many more, but only the best out of us will move ahead. TB: What all championships you are targeting this year? Sarjubala: Well, my first target is to get a medal in 2018 India Open and become a champion. We have the Commonwealth Games coming next for which we will have the selection trails and then we have the Asian Games. We have an AIBA Sponsored Women's Boxing Championship coming as well. Yes, we do have a lot of competitions this year. TB: The Indian Women Boxing team has got a new foreign coach. What is training under him like? Sarjubala: It's just been 10 days that Rafael has joined this responsibility. He is more focused towards co-ordination training. He picks up little things during the training sessions and asks us to focus on it. We really are looking forward to better insights from him.Next Story
