New Delhi, Oct 1 (IANS) Vijender Singh, the lone Olympic medallist for India in boxing, says he is more experienced now and is looking to improve on his previous performance in the Commonwealth Games (CWG)here by winning the gold medal.
At the previous Games at Melbourne in 2006, Vijender had won the silver medal.
‘If I compare this Commonwealth Games with the last one, then for sure I have gained in experience. At that time I had to settle for the silver medal, but this time my target is fixed only on gold. My philosophy in life is to climb a ladder step by step and I am very content with preparations,’ Vijender told IANS.
After winning bronze at Beijing, Vijender had emerged a boxing sensation and his feat had motivated many youngsters to take to the sport. He is also one of the brand ambassadors for the CWG 2010, starting Sunday.
‘Wherever I go, I am mobbed by countless supporters and well-wishers. I actually get thrilled seeing such a huge fan-following, but at the same time, I make sure that I don’t get carried away by the adulation. I always keep my feet grounded. In fact, the huge support has made me more responsible and answerable to the people of my country,’ said Vijender.
‘Once I am in the ring I am not at all bothered about the reputation or ranking of my opponent. My focus is on hitting hard and to beat the guy in front of me. I even do not consider any particular boxer or country as my main competitor. We can never underestimate anybody as all are practicing very hard for the games.’
Vijender said these days he is working to keep himself calm and relaxed.
‘I am working very hard to maintain my concentration level and to keep myself calm. I have even switched off my mobile phone these days and only focusing on my training schedule. I am just waiting to pack a punch.’
Talking about his favourite sportspersons, he said: ‘It’s really difficult to name one individual, as I like all the sportspersons, who have done remarkable things in their fields. Mahesh Bhupathi, Dhanraj Pillay and P. T. Usha, all are very good.’
Besides boxing, Vijender also remained in news for his looks and movie offers that he is getting. However, he made it clear that he was in no mood to act for the next few years.
‘Yes, I have got many offers from Bollywood producers, but let them wait for some more years as I think that it is not the right time to get into film. First, I want to continue boxing as long as I can and then only I would think about films or other things. Still, there are many benchmarks I have to reach in boxing,’ said Vijender.
Vijender said that he liked Salman Khan, who is also a very good friend, and Akshay Kumar very much.
(Alkesh Sharma can be contacted at alkesh.s@ians.in)
