For the 2012 london Olympics, Vikas Krishan Yadav made the cut several months before the tournament started and had ample time on his side for preparation, but this time though, the 24-year-old boxer had to wait till the penultimate qualifying round to book a Rio ticket after grabbing a bronze-medal at the International Boxing Association’s (AIBA) World Qualifying Tournament at Baku in the middleweight category. However, Vikas does not believe qualifying for the tournament with little more than a month left will dampen his preparations and instead he believes it will keep him in the right shape. He is also confident of winning atleast a bronze medal at Rio and he tells Karthik Raman how he has evolved from being a raw athlete in his maiden Olympic appearance (2012 london) to being a matured person this time around
After qualifying for the 2012 london Olympics some eight months prior to the start of the tournament, this time you qualified only at the end. Does that affect your preparationsIJ
I believe that I am in a much better shape for the Rio Olympics and much more ready for the high quality opposition that I will face at the Rio Games even though I have qualified at what was the last chance for amateur boxers. I think I am in the ‘zone’ now.
Before london, I believe I had too much time on my hands and as a result I became a little complacent. 8 months is a long time and I did not really box competitively for six of those 8 months. That definitely took a toll. Right now, I am in competition mode.
Will this be the last Olympics you will participate inIJ
I haven’t really taken a call about whether this will be my last Olympic appearance or not. At the moment it feels like it. I am in great shape. I am at the peak of my abilities. When you are confident about your mental and physical prowess, then that’s the right place to be in professional sport, in my opinion. I will treat every bout at the Rio Olympics like my last and push myself to justify the faith and hope that so many people have in me.
How confident are you of winning a medal in this Summer OlympicsIJ
I am confident of a medal. london was a very disappointing experience, one where a lot of people had expected a big performance from me but I couldn’t deliver. Today I know what the pressure at the Olympics is like. 4 years ago, I was raw. I don’t think I fully understood the magnitude of competing at the Olympics. Today, I am a much better, stronger boxer. I have also matured quite a bit. I understand my body thoroughly and I feel that I am in the right shape. If I won’t win a medal here, I don’t think I can win a medal anywhere else.
How confident are you about your fellow boxers doing well in this year’s OlympicsIJ
We don’t have a big team this time but we have a quality team. Shiva Thapa’s been doing well consistently now. I am sure he will have learned a lot from his london 2012 experience. Manoj is a Commonwealth Games Gold medallist and I am sure he will have a few tricks up his sleeve for doing well at the ring in Rio.
In last Olympics, eight boxers qualified, but this time only three have qualified so far. Do you think it is because of the administrative mess in Indian boxingIJ
It is true that our boys haven’t had enough international exposure. That has definitely held them back. However, this time the qualification norms were much more stringent. Since AIBA has allowed APB and WSB boxers to qualify for the Olympics, the amateur pool (of Olympic quotas) has shrunk. All this happens when you don’t have a proper Federation in place but this is what it is. Our boxers are talented but perhaps they just could not get over the line this time.
Has this problem affected your performanceIJ
I don’t think it has. Yes, I have often missed combined training camps in foreign locations which were organised earlier and also the lack of Nationals is not allowing me to box against new talent in my weight category. However, thanks to funding from the Government, TOPS and my own personal backers JSW Sports, I have managed to train in foreign locations, network and learn from professional boxers and also train under some of the best coaches in the world.
The absence of a Federation does have an effect on our exposure trips and foreign competitions but then that is how the situation is right now. I hope that the Federation comes together very soon so that our boys can take the next step.
Where do you see Indian boxing goingIJ
The state of Indian boxing is good but I have to say it can be better. We have the talent but what we need to work on is how we can refine the talent as well. National competitions are a great way to encourage younger boxers to come through the ranks. We can’t rely on the old guard, we have to ensure that we have another plank of quality boxers.
We need to understand that the sport is evolving, training methods are changing. Now it is all about landing clean punches, staying strong and building up multiple skill-sets. I was earlier a very speedy boxer but pace can only get you so far. I have had to develop strength, punch hard and soften opponents.
Do you have any idea of becoming a full-time pro-boxer like Vijender Singh anytime in the futureIJ
For now, I am not thinking beyond the third week of August. All that I can see in front of me are the Olympics. I have waited four long years to get here and I am no mood to even allow my mind the thought of a diversion in the form of professional boxing.
I have already fought in two APB bouts, so I have a good idea of how the circuit works. But I will only take a call after the Olympics. Nothing before that.