Life is a new lesson everyday: Vijender
New Delhi, Jun 23 (PTI): His was the Olympic medal that set the ball rolling for Indian boxing’s ascension to world-beating standards.
Vijender Singh, however, has moved on from that life-changing bronze 13 summers ago in Beijing because “that’s what mature people do”.
“That’s growth, when you shed one identity and embrace new things, understand things which didn’t matter at some point. It comes with time and responsibility,” the middleweight boxer told PTI in an exclusive chat.
“Life is a new lesson everyday.”
But with one month to go for the Tokyo Olympics and as the world celebrates Olympic Day, one can’t help take a trip down memory lane to relive one of the most iconic moments in Indian sports — the country’s first Olympic medal in boxing.
“Those were golden days, we were carefree, without responsibilities. Our training, diet and a few friends were all that mattered,” the 35-year-old, who is a three-time Olympian, said as he recalled the build-up to the Games in Beijing.
He made it to the big event in what was the last qualifying event after two failed attempts. In Beijing, he was the lone boxing medal hope left when the more experienced Akhil Kumar lost in the quarterfinals, a shocker of a result considering that he had beaten the world champion — Sergey Vodopyanov — in the previous round.
Shouldering unprecedented expectations, Vijender kept his calm to get the better of Ecuador’s Carlos Gongora in his quarterfinal bout and history was created.
It meant the world to him at that time but over a decade later, he wouldn’t even write Olympian in his social media bios, something that most other current or former athletes do.
“I had a good Olympics, I gave my best in Beijing, fortunately it translated into a bronze medal. Along the way, it helped Indian boxing, good for everyone I say. “But I have tried several things after that. I got married, had children, turned professional, got into politics too. So, I don’t see the point of looking back,” he explained.