GUWAHATI, July 12 � Assam is likely to clinch the team title in the National Youth Women Boxing Championship for girls of 17-18 years to be organised by the Assam Amateur Boxing Association (AABA) at the Tarun Ram Phookan Indoor Stadium here from July 21 to 25.
In a well attended press conference here today, AABA secretary Hemanta Kalita said the tournament is counted as one of the major and most vital for women boxers of the country as from this tournament the Indian team will be picked up for international meets like Asian Youth, World Youth meets and even the 2012 London Olympics.
Already States like Arunachal Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Bihar, Chandigarh, Chattishgarh, Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Pondichery, Himachal Pradesh, Maharashtra, Jammu & Kashmir, Uttarakhand, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Sikkim, Manipur, Orissa, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Tripura, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala and host Assam have confirmed their participation.
Competitions will be conducted in 10 weight categories ranging from 48 kg to above 80 kg, informed Kalita. He also revealed that an organising committee has been formed to host the meet in a befitting manner with Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi as chief patron, Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma as chairman, Forest Minister Rockybul Hussain as working chairman and former minister Anjan Dutta as chief adviser.
SAI city centre�s director in-charge Subhash Basumatary, while explaining the prospects of the State boxers, said there is every possibility of the boxers winning four gold, two silver and three bronze medals along with the team championship. Defending his opinion, Basumatary said with several Assam woman boxers in the Indian camp, all the players are in their peak form and their confidence level is at an all time high. He also intimated that Assam will not field boxer in the above 80 kg group.
AABA president Kalikanta Boro, while answering a question said the condition of the TR Phookan Indoor Stadium is not in good shape and to repair the roof an amount of Rs 2.5 lakh is required, which at present the association cannot afford.
But Anjan Dutta said the organising committee, in association with the State Government, will undertake renovation of the roof in the TR Phookan Stadium.
