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Manoj clinched the gold medal at the 2010 Delhi Games and a bronze at the 2018 Gold Coast Games. He is also a two-time Asian Championships bronze medallist and was also part of the Indian contingent that featured at the 2012 London Olympics and the…Read More
Manoj Kumar. (X)
Double Commonwealth Games medal-winning boxer Manoj Kumar called time on his illustrious career on Thursday to concentrate on coaching.
Manoj, who hails from Kaithal in Haryana, clinched the gold medal at the 2010 Delhi Games and a bronze at the 2018 Gold Coast Games. He is also a two-time Asian Championships bronze medallist and was also part of the Indian contingent that featured at the 2012 London Olympics and the 2016 Rio Olympics and reached the pre-quarters on both occasions.
“It’s a carefully thought out decision because once I turn 40, I can anyway not compete in amateur events as per international rules,” Manoj said.
“I am retiring as a content man after representing my country to the best of my ability,” he continued.
“I have just gratitude for the opportunities I got,” he added.
“For any athlete, saying goodbye to the sport is an extremely emotional moment,” he reflected.
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He thanked his older brother and coach Rajesh Kumar for his guidance ever since Manoj started boxing in the junior category all the way back in the year 1997, before earning his coaching diploma in the year 2021 from the National Institute of Sports in Patiala.
“If it weren’t for Rajesh sir, I wouldn’t have been recognised as an Olympian boxer,” Manoj thanked his brother and coach.
“He made me dream big and cleared every obstacle in my path to achieve them,” he added.
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He intends to hone the abilities of budding pugilists at the academy he set up alongside Rajesh in Kurukshetra.
“This academy will serve as a medium to share our experiences and lessons with young athletes who will one day win medals for India in the Olympics,” the two-time CWG medallist concluded.
