New Delhi, Jul 4: Four years ago, they were the Olympic surprise package that fascinated the country but cut to 2012 London, Indian boxers are the ones to watch out for as they seek to better the one bronze medal feat that Vijender Singh scaled in Beijing.
An unprecedented eight boxers—seven men and for the first time a woman—are headed to the British capital faced with sky-high expectations of over a billion-strong nation that is gradually beginning to realise its sporting potential.
The bunch, a mix of sprightly teens and experienced warhorses, has come through tough qualification events and seem to be in peak form going into the biggest sporting show on earth.
Vijender would be there making a record third Olympic appearance and the middle-weight (75kg) former world number one, who is also India's first World Championships medallist, would play the dual role of a competitor and a mentor for the younger lot.
M C Mary Kom (51kg), the feisty five-time world champion, will be India's sole representaive when women's boxing makes its Olympic debut and given her mostly unchallenged domination in the ring over the past decade, she is among the strongest medal contenders.
The fact that she has to win just two bouts to be assured of a medal only adds to the high expectations from her.
And she is not short of motivation either as the 29-year-old mother-of-two could well bid adieu to the ring if she goes on to get a medal and cap a glittering career in which highs far exceed any lows that she might have endured.
