Glasgow, Aug 1 (IANS) India’s Commonwealth Games silver medallist Jadumani Singh credited veteran boxer Sarita Devi for shaping his journey as a boxer, saying her constant guidance and unwavering belief played a defining role in his impressive campaign at the Commonwealth Games 2026.
Jadumani settled for silver in the men’s 55kg boxing event after losing by unanimous decision to Australia’s Jye Dixon in the final on Saturday. The 22-year-old pushed the Australian throughout the three-round contest, but Dixon’s disciplined counter-punching and cleaner scoring shots proved decisive.
Reflecting on his journey after the final, Jadumani said Sarita Devi had been a guiding force in his career since his childhood and remained closely involved throughout the Commonwealth Games.
“Sarita Devi ma’am has supported me immensely since my childhood. She has done so much for me, whether it was guiding me about my diet, training, or every other aspect of being an athlete. She speaks to me every day and regularly video calls me. She has always taught me how to approach the sport and what it takes to become a successful boxer,” Jadumani told IANS.
He added that Sarita remained closely involved throughout the Games, analysing each of his contests and helping him prepare for the next one.
“During this competition, her support was even more significant. She constantly guided me on how to fight, what to do, and what to avoid. She watched every one of my bouts and gave me valuable feedback after each fight. She kept motivating me by telling me that I would return home with the gold medal. That belief and encouragement meant a lot to me,” he added.
Despite narrowly missing the top of the podium, Jadumani said the silver medal has strengthened his confidence ahead of bigger challenges.
“I am happy to have won a medal for India, but of course I wanted the gold. This silver will motivate me to work even harder. My focus now is on improving myself and performing well in the Asian Games and other major international competitions,” he said.
Jadumani enjoyed an outstanding run to the final in Glasgow. He opened his campaign with a dominant win over Scotland’s Aaron Cullen before defeating Pakistan’s Sumama Rehman in the round of 16. He followed it up with convincing victories against Zambia’s Mwengo Mwale in the quarter-finals and Namibia’s Philip Haoseb in the semi-finals to book his place in the gold medal bout.
In the final, Jadumani started positively and matched Dixon in the opening exchanges before the Australian gradually gained control with his precise counter-attacks. The Indian continued to press until the final bell, but Dixon’s tactical discipline earned him the Commonwealth Games title, while Jadumani finished with a memorable silver medal on his Games debut.
–IANS
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