Boxer Sarita Devi to take call on retirement after Tokyo Olympics

Former world champion boxer Sarita Devi said on Friday she will take a call on her retirement after next Year's Olympic Games, where she hopes to make a last-ditch effort to win an elusive medal. 37-year-old Sarita has three World Championships medal -- a gold in 2006 and a bronze each in 2005 and 2008. She has also won five Asian Championships gold and a bronze and a silver in Asian Games (2014 Incheon) and Commonwealth Games (2014 Glasgow) respectively. But an Olympic medal has remained elusive for lightweight (60kg category) boxer from Manipur and she is desperate to win that in Tokyo before drawing curtains on her career.

"I am still continuing boxing for only one reason -- Olympic medal. I have won medals in all competitions that I h participated in. Only an Olympic medal is missing in my cupboard and I am desperate to get that in Tokyo," Sarita told PTI. Asked about her retirement plans, she said: "I can't tell anything w. I will make a decision on my career after Tokyo Olympics."

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"Big challenge"

Sarita and legendary Mary Kom will spearhe a strong 10-member Indian contingent in women's World Boxing Championships in Ulan Ude, Russia from October 3 to 13. It has been a long time since Sarita won a medal in World Championships and she is seeking to break 11-year-old hiatus in which could be her last outing at this global event. "Whenever I featured in World Championships in last 10 years I really played well but lost my bouts from winning positions. So it's a big challenge for me this time. I have worked a lot, brought about a lot of changes in my technique. So I am fully confident that I will get a medal this time," she said.

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"I am 37 w and mor of a kid. Even some people have said that I have grown old and cant do it again. But I am proud that I forced my way into team after beating everyone. It's a big challenge for me."  By her own mission, colour of medal does t matter and she is just desperate to prove her detractors wrong. "A medal in this World Championships will shut mouth of all who h criticised me and said that 'Sarita is done and dusted'. This will be a big answer to m. Colour of medal does t matter to me, any medal is acceptable," she said.

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Praise and support

Sarita was full of praise for Indian women's boxing Performance Director Raffaele Bergamasco and new office bearers of Boxing Federation of India (BFI) for ir continued support. "In last two years after we started working with our Italian coach, re have been a lot of changes in Indian boxing. Our biggest strength is power of our punches but we are a little slow in our movements. coaches have worked in this area and we have also realized our mistakes," she said.

" federation has given us full support.  Sports Ministry, SAI also has been supporting us. India boxing is slowly returning to peak again." She said it's w time for women pugilists to show ir might after achievements of ir male counterparts in Russia. " men's team is . 6 in world, so w it's our turn to show women boxers are laggards," Sarita said. Asked about her plans after retirement, Sarita said: "I am running my acemy in Manipur for last five years. From last two years, it came under SAI and Olympic Gold Quest has also been supporting us. Five boxers from my acemy won medals in Junior Nationals this year. Seven boxers are in Khelo India programme. "I can never be away from boxing. After retirement, I will keep on working on producing good boxers for country.

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