From shadows to spotlight: Debutant Minakshi confirms medal at Worlds

New Delhi, Sep 12 (PTI) For years, Minakshi waited in the wings, honing her ring craft and watching others take centre stage.

Accustomed to playing second fiddle to 2023 world champion Nitu Ghanghas for years, the 24-year-old seized her maiden chance with poise and purpose.

On the grandest platform of her young career, she confirmed a medal on debut at the World Championships, defeating England's Alice Pumphrey with authority to move into the women's 48kg semifinal on Friday.

The lanky Minakshi used her height advantage to full effect, moving around the ring with ease and relying on her long range, which has long been her forte.

"I am delighted. I just wanted to make the most of this opportunity," Minakshi told PTI from Liverpool after the win.

"I had a silver at the World Cup in Kazakhstan and my aim is to win here as well. I have worked really hard for this, trained extensively. I used to fight from long range but I worked on short range and improving me endurance," she added.

Since breaking into the national setup in 2022, Minakshi has grown steadily. She won a silver at the 2022 Asian Championships, gold at the last year's Elorda Cup and BRICS Games, and victory over Nitu at the Nationals earlier this year. A silver at the World Cup in Kazakhstan added to her growing reputation.

Her journey to the podium, however, has been anything but easy. Born in Rurki village, 15 kilometres from Rohtak in Haryana, Minakshi is the youngest of four siblings in a family where every rupee mattered.

Her father drives an auto, her mother is a homemaker, and boxing was never part of the family's story.

She took up the sport in her teens despite her family's initial disapproval, as they struggled to make ends meet. That is when her personal coach Vijay Hooda identified her potential.

Her family's hesitation gave way once he stepped in, supporting her training and even providing food, clothes, and money for travel.

"I have waited ten years for this medal. I have worked so hard with her," said Hooda who runs the Rurki Boxing Academy that trains boxers free of cost.

"I have been supporting her since 2014. I have done whatever I could to support her be diet or anything.

Talking about Friday's bout he said, "She was a bit nervous ahead of the bout as she was playing a local boxer. But she was confident of winning." Minakshi will face 2023 silver medallist Lutsaikhany Altantsetseg of Mongolia in the semifinals. But coach Hooda is confident his pupil will reach the final, having already beaten the Mongol at the Asian Championships in the 52kg category.

"She has defeated the Mongol boxer before so she can do it again." "Our aim is to defeat the Kazakh boxer, who beat her at the World Cup. They will most likely meet in the finals," he added. PTI APA AT AT