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.
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