Wayne Lombard Set to Revolutionize Indian Boxing with Strength and Conditioning Expertise

Image Source: Internet

The Boxing Federation of India (BFI) has made a significant move to bolster the strength and recovery protocols of its elite teams by hiring renowned strength and conditioning coach Wayne Lombard. The South African expert, who has worked extensively with the Indian hockey teams, will join the BFI in February next year. Lombard's appointment comes at a crucial time for Indian boxers, with key events like the Asian Championships, Commonwealth Games, and Asian Games lined up in the coming year. The move is expected to particularly benefit the men's team, which has struggled to perform at the top level in recent years. While the women's team has had a successful run, winning four medals at the World Championships and seven gold medals at the World Boxing Cup Final, the men's team is in a state of transition following the turn of professional boxers Amit Panghal and Nishant Dev. Boxers like Jadumani Singh and Abhinash Jamwal have shown promise, but coaches believe that the team's lack of strength is a major hindrance. According to a senior coach, Indian boxers lag behind their Uzbek and Kazakh counterparts in terms of strength, despite being technically on par. Lombard's long-term contract, which is expected to last until the 2028 LA Olympics, is seen as a major coup for the BFI. The federation is also exploring the option of hiring a foreign coach for the men's team, with former high-performance coach Santiago Nieva being considered for the women's team. The BFI president, Ajay Singh, expressed optimism about the new development, saying, "We're preparing very thoroughly for the upcoming events. With Wayne Lombard on board, we're confident that our boxers will be better equipped to handle the competition." The move is seen as a step in the right direction for Indian boxing, which has been struggling to regain its lost glory.