Nanao comes into his own

Since Dingko Singhs Bangkok Asian Games gold medal in 1998,never had a boxer from Manipur made this big an impact.

Since Dingko Singhs Bangkok Asian Games gold medal in 1998,never had a boxer from Manipur made this big an impact. A decade later,Thokchom Nanao Singh,is bringing the state back to the limelight with his exploits in the ring.

It gives me great pleasure that I have been able to make my state proud. Dingko Singh showed us the way and I want to do better than him, said Nanao,who won silver at the 2007 Commonwealth Championship in Liverpool before becoming the first Indian to win gold at the Commonwealth Youth Games,in Pune in 2008.

However,it was the AIBA Youth World Championships in Guadalajara,Mexico where he realised his long-held dream. Stunning cadet world championship bronze medallist Grigoriy Nikolaychuk of Russia 15-5 in the final,Nanao became the first Indian to win a gold at the event. My life changed after that, Nanao said.

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The country,though,might just have lost out on a promising pugilist had Nanao decided to stick to his first love,football. But the video clippings of former world champion Muhammad Ali left a deep impact on his mind. I had always been fascinated by Ali. I am here only because I wanted to box like him, said Nanao.

Nanaos clever use of guile was obvious in his win over Mahmudov Alisher of Uzbekistan in the 48 kg semi-finals at the AK Misra Boxing Championship here as he used the guard to great effect before unleashing a flurry of punches to unsettle his opponent. My coach had told me that Alisher boxes from a distance. I made sure that I did not come into his range and then attacked, said Nanao,who will meet Haryanas Madan in the final on Sunday.

Results (semi-finals)

Light Fly 48kg: Madan (HAR) bt M Hussain (RSPB) 10-8,Nanao Singh (SSCB) bt Mahmudov Alisher (UZB) 12-1; Fly 51kg: Sunil Kumar (HAR) bt Mukesh Kumar (CHD) 8-5,Suranjay Singh (SSCB) bt Sanjay Singh (YCI) 13-1; Bantam 54kg: Shayimov Orzubek (UZB) bt Zhakipov (KAZ) 4-0,Torak Kharpran (MEG) bt Vipin Kumar (YCI) 9-2; Feather 57kg: Agubayev (KAZ) bt Eddey Kalai (MAS) 21-6,Akshay Kumar (YCI) bt Chhotelal Yadav (SSCB) 7-2; Light 60kg: Ahmedov Kamoldin (UZB) bt Sanjay Kumar (YCI) 13-0,Jai Bhagwan (HAR) bt Rakesh Kalaskar (SSCB) 9-3; Light Welter 64kg: Balwinder (YCI) bt Manoj (RSPB) 3-2,Hudayberdyev Serdar (TKM) bt Vinit Kotian (JHA) 17-3; Welter 69kg: Suresh Kumar (CHD) bt Iswaran Murali (MAS) 5-2,Dilbagh (RSPB) bt J S Patil (SSCB) 9-2; Middle 75kg: Kuldeep (PUN) bt Saidaliyev (KAZ) 18-8,Kilichev Farrukh (UZB) bt Surender Kumar (AIP) 12-3; Light Heavy 81kg: Jasvir (RSPB) bt Ravinder Kumar (AIP) 5-0,Jagat Singh (YCI) bt Rinku (HAR) 14-1.

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