World Youth champ Krishan included in CWG boxing core group

All of 18, World Youth champion Vikas Krishan (60kg) has become the youngest member of the reshuffled core group of Indian boxers for the Commonwealth Games from which nine were axed after failing to impress in the just-concluded National Championships in New Delhi.

Haryana-lad Vikas stunned Olympian Diwakar Prasad and former international medallist Rakesh Kalaskar en route to his maiden gold in the Nationals.

All set to participate in next month's Youth Olympics in Singapore, Vikas has been drafted in even as Kalaskar was shown the door from the camp in Patiala.

National coach Gurbax Singh Sandhu said Vikas was the finds of the Nationals and deserved to be called into the senior camp.

"He has shown the potential to be a top-class boxer. His movement is swift in the ring and he can go from attack to defence in very quick time. Let's see how he shapes up," Sandhu said.

In all, the Indian Boxing Federation has added 17 new names to core group, which takes the total to 48 from the previous 40.

The Sports Authority of India has approved 41 names and the IBF is confident of getting the seven remaining cleared soon.

Former Commonwealth bronze medallist Dilbagh Singh (69kg), who quit amateur boxing for a while to pursue his pro dreams a couple of years ago, has also been included in the camp.

Dilbag came back into the reckoning after clinching a silver at this year's Nationals. He had to settle for the second spot after his injured right hand prevented him from competing in the finals of the event.

Former world cadet champion Vipin Kumar (49kg), who too settled for a silver at the Nationals after losing to former Commonwealth champion Sunil Kumar in the final, is also among the nine new names pencilled into the group.

The IBF had made participation in the Nationals compulsory, failing which it threatened to bar boxers from competing in the Commonwealth Games trials.

But stars like Olympic bronze medallist Vijender Singh (75kg), Commonwealth Games gold medallist Akhil Kumar (56kg) and Asian bronze medallist Jitender Kumar (56kg) still had to sit out because of injuries.

Their place, however, remained secure even as little-known international medallists like Parmoj Kumar (81kg) and Krishan Kumar (91kg) lost theirs.

Those awaiting SAI's clearance to join the camp include ex-national champion Sanjay Kolte (49kg) and former world cadet champion Balbir Singh, who created quite a sensation this Nationals by upstaging Asian champion Suranjoy Singh in the fly weight 52kg division.