Nieva's Olympic Ambition: India's Women Boxers Gear Up for Bigger Challenges
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New Delhi: Santiago Nieva's return to India as the head coach of the Indian women's boxing squad is a welcome development, given the team's impressive performance this year. With medals at the World Boxing Cup, World Championships, and the World Boxing Cup Final, Nieva is eager to guide the team to even greater heights. Nieva, who was part of the Indian system from 2017 to 2022, knows that winning big medals at the Olympics is what will truly define his legacy. He believes that the Indian women's team has the potential to excel at the 2026 Asian Games, where they have not won a gold medal in a long time. The Swedish coach of Argentinian origin is focused on the upcoming Asian Championships, Asian Games, and Olympic qualifiers. He is confident about the team's chances, citing the talent of boxers like Nikhat Zareen, Lovlina Borgohain, and Jaismine Lamboria. Nieva is also optimistic about the comeback trail of Preeti Pawar, Parveen Hooda, and Arundhati Chaudhary. Nieva's immediate goal is to help the team win gold medals at the Asian Games, a feat that has eluded them for a long time. He believes that the team has the potential to go beyond a solitary bronze medal at the Olympics and wants the boxers to express themselves at top world events. The coach disputes the notion that Indian boxers lack power to counter rivals from strong boxing nations. He attributes losses to a combination of factors, including technical prowess and judging decisions. Nieva wants his boxers to be better boxers, not just technically proficient. As Nieva prepares to take charge of the national camp, he will also have to deal with the new evaluation system introduced by Bernard Dunne. Nieva will adopt a wait-and-watch policy, discussing the system with players and coaches to determine the best approach. With the 2026 Los Angeles Olympics still three years away, Nieva's focus is on the Asian Championships, Asian Games, and Olympic qualifiers. He is confident that the Indian women's boxing team has the talent and potential to excel at the highest level.
