Focus on meets over trials, says Indian boxing HPD Bernard Dunne

The Irish High Performance Director says he wants to help the boxers focus on growth—improve conditioning, nutrition and weight management

In a busy year highlighted by the world championships and the Asian Games—it is a qualifiers for the 2024 Paris Olympics, Indian boxing’s new high performance director Bernard Dunne wants his wards to focus on the major events without the fear of selection trials.

Bernard Dunne (left) with BFI President(BFI)

Dunne says he has the blue print to build-up for Paris. It involves selecting a small squad of elite boxers in the Olympic categories for the national camp and putting them through a ‘focused and individual-specific preparation’ for the Games.

The Irishman is discussing this proposal with the Boxing Federation of India (BFI). If accepted, it will mark a major shift in the federation’s (BFI) selection policy.

“If you are holding trials, your only focus before a major competition is on winning a trial. And when trials are over, you want to focus on competition. You are just going from one competition to another, you miss valuable preparation time to grow as an athlete.

“I want my athletes to focus on their growth—on improving their conditioning, nutrition and weight management. My job is to talk to the athlete, the support staff, have everyone’s input and make a specific plan going forward for that athlete.”

Last year, boxers had to win at the selection trials before major competitions. Women boxers had to compete in the trials for the world championships, Asian Games (postponed) and Commonwealth Games.

They had to cut weight in quick succession to fit into different weight categories. Some top athletes requested exemption citing a hectic schedule, but Boxing Federation of India went ahead with the trials in all divisions. BFI also wanted to avoid a repeat of the Nikhat Zareen-Mary Kom episode in 2019 or the Lovlina Borgohain-Arundhati Chaudhary row in 2021.

The previous HPD, Santiago Nieva, had also wanted the number of selection trials to be cut down, especially in categories where the boxer didn’t have challengers. It remains to be seen how BFI responds to Dunne. “I want India to be world No 1, win the most medals at the Olympics. That is going to require understanding and flexibility from everybody,” he said.

He also wants his own team—nutritionist, physiotherapist, sports scientists and strength and conditioning experts. “I must have the right people around this team. I know BFI is hungry for success and I hope we get to recruit the best people.”

The Asian Games—the first of the three Olympic qualifiers—is scheduled in September. “We have eight months and everything will be a preparation for that. The first focus will be on World championships but it too is preparation for Asian Games,” says the former boxing pro, who guided Ireland boxers to European, Worlds and Olympic medals before taking up the India job.

He was at the nationals in Bhopal (women) and Hisar (men). Asked if he wants to work with a select bunch in the national camps, Dunne said, “not initially but I want to be focused.

“If you have 100 athletes, how do you have focused preparation? How do you get the individual’s specific feedback and prepare for major championships? You need a training system where athletes can challenge themselves to grow.

Dunne prefers to explain his approach to the boxers. “My only concern is the athlete. I want my athletes to own their career. I want to engage them, make them feel they have contributed to their success.

“As good as our athletes are, we constantly need to challenge them to improve because at this level you need to work on every small detail. They have the skills, hunger and drive and it is my job to polish them.”