Shillong (Meghalaya), Nov 22: The Meghalaya Boxing Association (MBA) has selected nine of the best state pugilists to participate at the 7th Elite Men’s National Boxing Championship, which is set to begin here on Saturday.
The championship will witness more than 350 boxers in 13 different weight categories vying for glory at the SAI Indoor Stadium on the NEHU campus here from Nov 25 to Dec 1.
The event is being organised by the MBA and Boxing Federation of India (BFI) and sponsored by the Department of Sports and Youth Affairs, Government of Meghalaya.
The Meghalaya boxers are Sanjeev Maskut (46-48kg), Banjop Nongkhlaw (51-54kg), Melvin Marbaniang (54-57kg), Kordor Marwein (57-60kg), Badonkupar Synnah (60-63.5kg), Bhalang Shadap (63.5-67kg), Balnas Sangma (67-71kg) and Justerwell Jyrwa (71-75kg). The coaches of the Meghalaya contingent are Pynskhem L Nonglait, Wilfred Kharmawlong and Noyontho Marak.
They will be familiar to those who follow the sport in the state as they have had success both locally and regionally. Now, they will share the arena with the most successful pugilists from around the country, many of whom have won medals at the National Games, Asian Games and Commonwealth Games.
Some of the top boxers expected to participate include two-time Olympian and six-time Asian Championship medalist Shiva Thapa, 2018 Asian Games champion Amit Panghal and 2022 Commonwealth Games bronze medalist Rohit Tokas, among others.
With the BFI set to conduct a national camp next month in preparation for the 2024 Paris Olympics, this tournament is a hugely important one for the country’s boxers. It also adds to the prestige of hosting such an event and the MBA has been working non-stop with the Department of Sports and Youth Affairs to ensure that it goes off smoothly.
