Bangladesh Boxing Federation (BBF), which has been waiting for a reply from the IOC for their Wild Card to participate in the Paris Olympic 2024, is trying hard to make direct qualification.
General secretary of the Bangladesh Boxing Federation (BBF) Mazharul informed that in a bid to make direct qualification in the Paris Olympic, three boxers, Selim, Talha and Zinat after failing in Asian Games, will participate in another qualifying competition in Thailand to be held in May.
The GS of the BBF, Mazharul Islam Tuhin informed the Bangladesh Post on Tuesday that three boxers will take part in a qualifying tournament of Paris Olympic to take place in Thailand, if they could win medal or at least confirm a good position, there is every possibility to make direct qualification in the Paris Olympic.
Selim, the top boxer of Bangladesh narrowly missed the medal in Asian Games 2022 in Guangzhou when he clinched the fifth place and missed the direct qualification for Paris Olympic.
Meanwhile, BAF has another good news when Bangladeshi Boxer Zinat won gold medal in an international boxing competition in Darban, South Africa.
Mazharul informed that Zinat, American born Bangladeshi boxer stood first in the 50 Kg weight category to win the gold in South Africa.
Mazharul said that it was a big international meet in Darban, South Africa took place from April 15-21 and Zinat won the gold medal.
Mazharul also said that she (Zinat) participated in the tournament as a Bangladeshi boxer and also helped to enlist Bangladesh’s name at her own responsibility.
Zinat, who represented Bangladesh in the Asian Games 2022 in Hangzhou, could not reflect the expectation when Selim narrowly missed the medal.
Boxer Selim, who missed the chance in the Asian Games, still has chance to qualify for the Olympics, as he has been working hard with continuous practice for the Thailand meet.
Mazharul Islam also informed the Bangladesh Post that Selim is practicing under the national coach Shafiul Alam and Shahadat Hossain.
“Selim earned the fifth position in Asian Games under our local coaches, so I think they are good enough to train our boxers. To be honest we have not enough fund to afford any top level foreign coaches.
“You know we have enough potentials, there are so many young talents, if we can nurse them properly, then we would have quality boxers to do well in international circuit. But we can’t provide them top level facilities. Anyway, we are trying our level best to produce the players who will fight evenly in the international competition and will bring success,” Mazharul revealed to a query.
Mazharul also informed that Zinat has her own trainer and it’s yet to be confirmed that whether she would come in Bangladesh from South Africa or will go to America.