Baku: Manoj Kumar and Vikas Krishan became the latest Indian boxers to qualify for Rio 2016 Olympics on Thursday.
Manoj won the quarterfinal bout against Tajikistan’s Rakhimov Shakvakatdzhon to win 3-0 in the AIBA World Olympic qualification event in Baku, Azerbaijan.
Later, Vikas Krishan Yadav became the third Indian boxer after Manoj and Shiva Thapa to secure a quota for the Rio de Janeiro Summer Olympics by winning his middleweight (75 kg) quarterfinal bout against South Korea's Lee Dongyun at the World Olympic Qualifiers in Baku, Azerbaijan.
The JSW-supported pugilist was in terrific form, taking the attack to this South Korean opponent right from the opening bell. The dominance of the 24-year-old was constant over the three rounds, comfortably winning all three to enter the semifinals of the event.
Earlier, Vikas, seeded second, had opened his campaign in the 75 kg category with a gruelling victory against Japan's Takahashi Makoto in the second preliminary round. A straightforward victory over Georgia's Zaal Kvachatadze allowed the Southpaw to enter the quarterfinals.
"I am extremely delighted to have secured the Olympic quota. It has been a long journey with quite a few ups and downs. I was confident in my abilities and always believed that I had what it took to reach the Olympics and put up a strong performance on that stage. My coaching staff along with my backers JSW have always had faith in me and I am glad that I have managed to justify that when it mattered," he said.
Vikas said that while the bout against Makoto was something that really took a toll on him, it steeled him for what was to come. "I wasn't very well when I took on the Japanese but after getting that win, I knew I could clinch the quota. It was important to put everything on the line, not hold anything back but at the same time fight in an intelligent manner. I have another big bout coming up and right now, I really want to go all the way here," said Vikas.
Interestingly, Vikas became the first Indian boxer to compete in the AIBA Pro Boxing (APB) series. Having fought two bouts on the APB circuit, he lost one and won the other, he was also eligible to compete at the APB/WSB Olympic Qualifiers which will be contested at Vargas, Venezuela in July.
