Bidhuri: 'I want to make it bigger in future'

Gaurav Bidhuri, after his world championship bronze medal, came home to a rousing welcome in his village of Madanpur Khadar in Delhi.

Published : Sep 05, 2017 19:03 IST , Kolkata

Gaurav Bidhuri gets a hero's welcome on his return from the World boxing championship.
Gaurav Bidhuri gets a hero's welcome on his return from the World boxing championship.
lightbox-info

Gaurav Bidhuri gets a hero's welcome on his return from the World boxing championship.

World championship bronze medallist boxer Gaurav Bidhuri felt like a celebrity in his own village when he returned home from Hamburg on Monday.

Twenty-four-year-old Bidhuri said he was pleasantly surprised to see such a rousing welcome from his villagers of Madanpur Khadar in Delhi.

“A lot of people from my village shouted slogans and gave me a warm welcome. They garlanded and lifted me on their shoulders and took me in a jeep in a procession. Many had gathered at my home to greet me. My mother was in tears. It’s a dream come true and I want to make it even bigger in future,” Bidhuri told Sportstar  on Tuesday.

Bidhuri, who was the fourth Indian male boxer to land a World championship medal, said: “When I went for the World championship, I just wanted to do well. Then I reached the quarterfinal and badly wanted to win. Now after winning a medal, I have gathered so much of confidence. I can think clearly and plan things better. My life has changed and my mindset has become a lot better.”

Nevertheless, the bantamweight pugilist admitted that it was easier to box as an underdog. “People do not expect much from you, so it is a lot easier. Now, there will be a lot of expectation when I participate in any event. But that does not put any pressure on me. Rather it feels good that people appreciate my job. It is a motivation to achieve bigger medals.”

Bidhuri said he would go through a phase of rest and rehabilitation in order to get rid of an SI joint injury, which had been causing a back pain since February, and come back stronger. “I need to recover. Rest for a month or two will do a world of good. The Boxing Federation of India (BFI) has provided a set of good doctors and physios, who have helped me handle the injury well,” he said.

Sign in to unlock all user benefits
  • Get notified on top games and events
  • Save stories to read later
  • Access to comment on every story
  • Sign up / manage to our newsletters with a single click
  • Get notified by email for early bird access to discounts & offers to our products
Sign in

Comments

Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide to our community guidelines for posting your comment