GUWAHATI: Assam's boxer Shiva Thapa has clinched the gold medal today defeating Services Sports Control Board (SSCB) boxer Dalveer Singh Tomar 5-0.
This win qualifies the young boxer for AIBA Elite World Boxing Championship at Belgrade, Serbia from October 26th to November 6th.
He showed a spirited performance in the semi finals with a combing win against Uttar Pradesh's Abhishek Yadav 4-1.
In the final match the star boxer from Assam was highly appreciated for his great footwork and precise punches to knock down his opponent.
Elite Men's National Boxing Championship saw participation of over 400 boxers from 35 states/union territories and boards in 13 weight divisions.
Thapa's career in boxing took off when he was signed by non profit organization, Olympic for Gold quest.
His first medal was a bronze at Children Asia International Sports, 2008 held at Yakutsk, Russia. Later that year he was chosen to represent India in 52 kg category at Junior World Boxing Championship in Armenia.
In 2012 he clinched a gold medal in Asian Olympic qualifiers held in Astana, Kazakhstan to qualify for the London Olympics. Shiva Thapa became the youngest Indian to win gold at Asian Confederation boxing championship(2015) at Amman, Jordan.
He qualified for the Rio Olympics 2016 but lost to Cuba's Robeisy Ramirez 0-3.
The same year he was awarded the prestigious Arjuna Award in Rashtrapati Bhawan, New Delhi by former President Pranab Mukherjee. The Elite Men's National Boxing Championship was held after a hiatus of one year due to COVID-19 pandemic with last edition held in 2019 in Baddi, Himachal Pradesh.
Shiva Thapa and Dalveer Singh Tomar will join national coaching camp after wining gold and silver medals respectively.