Haryana village boy makes it big at Bejing Olympics

Chandigarh, Aug 21 (UNI) Pugilist Vijender Kumar, who created sensation by reaching the semifinals of middle-weight 75kg category at the Bejing Olympics by defeating Carlos Gongora of Equador 9-4 last evening, hails from village Kaluwas, about 4 km from Bhiwani in Haryana.

He was born on October 29, 1985 in a family of a State Roadways driver Mr Mahipal Singh. While his elder brother Manoj joined Indian Army, Vijender nursed his interest in boxing.

Vijender had graduated from Vaish post-graduate college in Bhiwani in 2007 and during this year the Haryana Government appointed him as an Inspector in Haryana Police in recognition of his achievements in sports.

It was for the first time in 2001 that Vijender won a gold medal in international sub junior boxing championship in Germany.

Thereafter, from June 2002 he began practicing boxing under the guidance of coach Jagdish Singh of Sai Hostel in Bhiwani. This helped him immensely in improving his skills and during the same year he participated in the second world boxing championship in Hungary.

In 2003 he went to Cuba where he got training in boxing and also participated in various competitions. He also participated in Brandenburg Boxing Championship in Germany the same year.

Vijender won gold medal in senior international boxing championship held in Goa in 2003 and Silver medal in the Asian Games held at Hyderabad in 2004.

He bagged gold at YMCA International Boxing Championship in Delhi and silver medal in South Asian Federation games in Pakistan in 2004. He also participated in 22nd Asian Boxing Championship in Philippines in 2004.

Vijender had also qualified for the Athens Olympics and won silver in Pre Olympics Boxing Championship. He also participate in 2004 Olympics. He clinched silver medals in Commonwealth Boxing Championship at Baku in 2005 and again won silver in 2006 in Commonwealth Games at Melbourne.

UNI PS JS RAR HT1922