Manish Kaushik: I started boxing because of Vijender Singh

The 24-year-old also revealed that Singh congratulated him when he won the World Championships medal.

In his burgeoning boxing career, Manish Kaushik ticked off another important box when he secured a win against Australia’s Harrison Garside in a grueling contest at the Asian Qualifiers to book his place at the showpiece quadrennial event.

Unfortunately, the pugilist will have to wait another year to display his skills in front of a global audience as a result of the coronavirus pandemic which necessitated the postponement of the Olympic Games. Moreover, the nationwide lockdown has disrupted the training schedules of the athletes across the country and has forced them to adapt their methods of preparation.

However, in that particular aspect, the 24-year-old has received much-needed help from a familiar face as his younger brother Sahil, who is also a boxer accompanies him in training.

“My brother Sahil, who is five years younger to me, helps me out in sparring. Due to the lockdown, most of the boxers are training alone and do not have a sparring partner. But my younger brother Sahil is helping me a lot. He gets up early in the morning with me and trains with me... It is really good that he is a boxer too otherwise things would have been a little difficult for me,” Manish Kaushik told the Times of India.

The enforced break has provided sportspersons valuable time to work on their fitness, pursue different hobbies or improve their overall game. Similarly, Manish revealed that he too is spending his time in the lockdown working on different facets of his game. “Right now, my focus is on gaining power and my morning sessions are devoted towards that, while I work on my technique in the evenings,” he told the Hindu.

Haryana is home to some of the most acclaimed boxing personalities, including Vijender Singh and Vikas Krishan, two superstars who have made the country proud through their exploits in the ring. Hence, it is only natural that a young Manish grew up wanting to join the sport in the hope of emulating his heroes.

“I idolise Vijender bhaiya and started boxing because of him. I was a kid and was studying in the eighth standard when he won the Olympic medal,” Manish said.

The early success of Manish Kaushik, which includes a World Championship medal for India, vindicates his decision to enter the world of boxing and the boxer revealed his ambitions of winning an Olympic medal. He said, “When I won the World Championships medal, he (Vijender) congratulated me. I am very proud to be the third World championship medallist from Bhiwani district after Vijender Singh and Vikas Krishan. Now, I want to replicate Vijender’s Olympic medal-winning feat.”

Manish Kaushik is currently using the extra time during this break wisely and is doing his best to prepare himself for the Olympic Games next year. “Time flies. Before we realise, the 2021 Olympics will be upon us and we have to utilise each day to get better. Apart from training, I watch motivational videos and my old boxing videos to prepare for the Olympics,” he concluded.