Competing in his maiden senior World Championships, the 19-year-old had to be content with a bronze in Baku, Azerbaijan, which was India's lone medal at the event just like the last time around. The country had managed a bronze in the previous edition two years ago as well through Olympian Vijender -- at that time a first for Indian boxing.
Vikas, playing his first tournament after jumping a couple of divisions to welterweight (69kg), lost to Ukraine's European Championship bronze-medallist Taras Shelestyuk 12-15. During the event, he along with L Devendro Singh (49kg), Jai Bhagwan (60kg) and Manoj Kumar (64kg), also qualified for next year's London Olympics by reaching the quarterfinals, making it the most successful World Championships for India.
"I am very satisfied with my performance as I competed against some very tough guys in my draw and given that it was my debut event in the welter weight division, I will happily take this bronze medal," Vikas told PTI from Baku. The Asian Games gold-medallist in the light weight (60kg) division, jumped to welter weight just two months before the World Championships.
PTI