Nanao Singh Thokchom Explained

Thokchom Nanao Singh
Realname:Thokchom Nanao Singh
Weight:Light flyweight (48 kg)
Nationality:Indian
Birth Date:1991 1, df=yes
Birth Place:Khoijuman Maning Leikai (near Bishnupur), Manipur, India

Thokchom Nanao Singh (born 8 January 1991) is an Indian boxer from Khoijuman Maning Leikai village in Bishnupur district of Manipur.[1] He trains at Pune-based Army Sports Institute and is supported by Olympic Gold Quest, a not-for-profit foundation to identify and support Indian athletes.

Early years

Thokchom Nanao Singh was born to Thokchom Tobobi Singh and Keinahanbi Devi in Khoijuman Maning Leikai village (from Imphal) in Bishnupur district of Manipur.[2] He took interest in boxing since the age of eight. His interest in the sport was spurred on by his friend, a boxer, who once took him to a boxing ring. Nanao Singh drew further inspiration from the success of Dingko Singh, a Manipur boxer who won a gold medal at the 1998 Asian Games, and Muhammad Ali.[3] [4] Being the youngest child in their family, his parents wanted him to focus on education instead of sport. When Nanao Singh first put on a pair of boxing gloves, his father got furious and sent him to a boarding school so that his focus could be redirected to education. Nanao Singh ran away from this school and returned home. After seeing his dedication to boxing, his father introduced him to a local boxing coach who groomed him initially. In 2000, Nanao Singh joined the Pune-based Army Sports Institute. He was the successful outcome of the institute's joint collaboration with the Sports Authority of India whose aim was to win international medals for India.[5]

Amateur career

Nanao Singh started out boxing in India by winning the sub-junior national championships consecutively in 2004, 2005 and 2006. In the years 2007 and 2008, he was the National Junior Champion.[6]

Nanao Singh represented India in the 48-kg category at the 2007 Commonwealth Boxing Championships in Liverpool.[7] He won a silver medal at this championship despite being a junior-level player. Based on this performance, the Indian national coach predicted Nanao Singh's success at the 2008 Commonwealth Youth Games.[8] [9] As per his coach's expectations, he won the gold medal at the Youth Games.[10] A few weeks after this victory, Nanao Singh won the gold medal – the lone medalist for India – at the inaugural AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships that was held in Guadalajara, Mexico.[11] In 2008, he also won the gold medal at the Juvenile Olympic Games that were held in Cuba.[12] At the 2009 Asian Amateur Boxing Championships, he narrowly missed the gold medal in his category. The Indian coach was happy with the overall performance of the boxers and predicted a bright future for Nanao Singh.[13] Following this win, he was ranked fifth with a tally of 1400 points.[14]

At the 2009 AIBA World Boxing Championships, he was seeded second in the 48-kg category.[15] However, Nanao Singh faltered in the second round itself where he lost by a single point.[16] [17] Owing to this poor result, he dropped three places to eighth in the light flyweight ranking.[18] Towards the end of 2009, Nanao Singh represented Team Asia at the season-ending President's Cup, the only AIBA event.[19]

At the 2010 season-opening Super Cup Boxing, Nanao Singh won the title in the 48-kg category.[20] In the same year, the Asian Boxing Confederation organized an invitational prize event that was called as the Champion of Champions. Along with three other Indian boxers – Vijender Singh, Dinesh Kumar and Akhil Kumar – Nanao Singh represented his country in the two-day championship;[21] he lost in the opening round itself.[22] For the Commonwealth Boxing Championships, Nanao Singh failed to qualify because he had lost out to another boxer in the trials.[23]

In January 2010, Nanao Singh injured his hand and this put him out of boxing.[24] Due to this injury, he was unable to participate in the Indian National Championships. In June 2010, he underwent a surgery for his fractured arm.[25]

Samsung chose a list of 10 Indian sports-persons as a part of Sports Ratna, a scholarship program with an aim to support players for the 2010 Asian Games. Nanao Singh was one among this list of four boxers, four shooters, and two wrestlers.[26] Olympic Gold Quest, a not-for-profit foundation to identify and support Indian athletes, chose him because of his talent and bright future.[27]

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: Sapam . Robert . Warm welcome awaits Nanao . 22 October 2010 . The Telegraph. Kolkata . 4 November 2008 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121025183935/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1081104/jsp/northeast/story_10058070.jsp . 25 October 2012 . dead .
  2. News: Singh . L. C. K. . Thokchom Nanao Singh brings glory to Manipur with boxing gold medal in Mexico . 22 October 2010 . Thaiindian.com . 6 January 2009.
  3. News: Lundup . Tashi . Nanao comes into his own . 22 October 2010 . . 15 March 2009.
  4. News: Defying parents, secret of Nanao's success . 22 October 2010 . . 5 November 2008.
  5. News: Mandrekar . Kabir . ASI, SAI join hands to train youths . 22 October 2010 . . 9 February 2009.
  6. News: Tiwari . Mansi . Rise and shine . 22 October 2010 . . 9 November 2008.
  7. News: Camp over, junior pugilists leave for Commonwealth meet . 22 October 2010 . . 21 July 2007 .
  8. News: Nanao bags gold at Youth World Championship . 22 October 2010 . The Hindu . 2 November 2008.
  9. News: Indian pugilists ready for action . https://web.archive.org/web/20081012000258/http://www.hindu.com/2008/10/08/stories/2008100855681700.htm . dead . 12 October 2008 . 22 October 2010 . . 8 October 2008.
  10. News: Marar . Nandakumar . Thokchom Nanao bags boxing gold . https://web.archive.org/web/20081020224232/http://www.hindu.com/2008/10/18/stories/2008101859992100.htm . dead . 20 October 2008 . 22 October 2010 . . 18 October 2008.
  11. News: Gold for Nanao . https://web.archive.org/web/20121108061334/http://www.hindu.com/2008/11/03/stories/2008110354101800.htm . dead . 8 November 2012 . 22 October 2010 . . 3 November 2008.
  12. News: Nanao Singh in Youth World Championship final . 22 October 2010 . The Hindu . 1 November 2008.
  13. News: India's best-ever showing so far: coach . https://web.archive.org/web/20090628175914/http://www.hindu.com/2009/06/17/stories/2009061755601500.htm . dead . 28 June 2009 . 22 October 2010 . . 17 June 2009.
  14. News: Vijender No. 2 in rankings – Akhil, Nanao Singh and Dinesh are the other Indians in top 10 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121025183944/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1090821/jsp/sports/story_11389858.jsp . dead . 25 October 2012 . 22 October 2010 . The Telegraph . 21 August 2009.
  15. News: Indians at world boxing championships . https://web.archive.org/web/20121103185109/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2009-08-31/boxing/28165694_1_second-round-boxers-weight-category . dead . 3 November 2012 . 22 October 2010 . . 31 August 2009.
  16. News: Nanao Singh crashes out of World Championships . 22 October 2010 . The Hindu . 6 September 2009.
  17. News: Would win a better medal next time: Vijender . https://web.archive.org/web/20121103185137/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2009-09-14/boxing/28105514_1_vijender-singh-asian-championships-thokchom-nanao-singh . dead . 3 November 2012 . 22 October 2010 . . 14 September 2009.
  18. News: Pansare . Rajesh . Vijender is No 1 boxer in the world . 22 October 2010 . . 29 September 2009.
  19. News: Indian boxers all set for season-ending President's Cup . 22 October 2010 . The Hindu . 5 December 2009.
  20. News: Nanao, Suranjoy, Dilbagh win Super Cup Boxing Championship . https://web.archive.org/web/20121103185143/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2010-01-17/boxing/28144243_1_saf-games-opening-round-second-round . dead . 3 November 2012 . 22 October 2010 . . 17 January 2010.
  21. News: Vijender, Akhil to compete in China tourney . https://web.archive.org/web/20121103185203/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2010-01-29/boxing/28123902_1_president-s-cup-light-heavy-weight-gurbax-singh-sandhu . dead . 3 November 2012 . 22 October 2010 . . 29 January 2010.
  22. News: Vijender gets silver at Champion of Champions tournament . https://web.archive.org/web/20121103185216/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2010-02-02/boxing/28147342_1_thokchom-nanao-singh-prize-money-bhiwani-boxer . dead . 3 November 2012 . 22 October 2010 . . 2 February 2010.
  23. News: Vijender, Akhil to lead Indian challenge . https://web.archive.org/web/20121013091141/http://ibnlive.in.com/news/vijender-akhil-to-lead-indian-challenge/110803-5-23.html . dead . 13 October 2012 . 22 October 2010 . . 27 February 2010.
  24. News: Vijender stays No. 1 . https://web.archive.org/web/20100608062423/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1100519/jsp/sports/story_12463294.jsp . dead . 8 June 2010 . 22 October 2010 . The Telegraph . 19 May 2010.
  25. News: IBF asks boxers to come for Nationals or risk axe from CWG . 22 October 2010 . The Times of India . 6 July 2010.
  26. News: Abhinav Bindra in 'Sports Ratna' list . https://web.archive.org/web/20100706011625/http://www.hindu.com/2010/06/30/stories/2010063055372000.htm . dead . 6 July 2010 . 22 October 2010 . . 30 June 2010.
  27. News: Awasthi . Shailendra . Gold Quest set to sign Suranjoy and Nanao . 22 October 2010 . The Indian Express . 14 January 2010.