Jaismine working towards decluttering mind

Greater Noida, December 25

Commonwealth Games bronze medallist boxer Jaismine Lamboria is working on improving her mental acuity as well as sharpening her punches as she eyes a Paris Olympics quota.

The talented boxer ended her debut Asian Games campaign on an anti-climactic note earlier this year. Having won the first round in dominant fashion, Jaismine seemingly had a brain fade moment after she was given a warning, with the referee eventually forced to stop the 60kg quarterfinal bout.

“I was given a warning, counting for the first time. So, I was not able to handle it. My mind just went blank. It is important to know how to come back from such a situation which I didn’t,” Jaismine said after winning her quarterfinal bout at the National Championships here today.

A win would not only have fetched her a medal but also a Paris Olympics quota. “After that Asian Games bout, coaches told me to work on the mental aspect. I am working with a psychologist. He has told me to work on visualisation and do meditation,” she said.

The 22-year-old cruised to the National Championships semifinals in the 60kg category, which is one of the two women’s weight classes where India is yet to seal a Paris quota. A top-three finish at the Nationals will ensure a return to the national camp, where she has been a regular for the past two years.

Haryana’s Jaismine has come a long way since competing in her debut World Championships in 2022. From someone who used to only counterattack, she has learnt to be the aggressor. “I am learning a lot of things. I try and work on my weaknesses. I prefer back-peddling but my Services coaches tell me to also go ahead and attack,” she said.