Selay Soy is all set to add more power to his punches.
The 14-year-old tribal boy has won a berth in the elite boxing cradle run by Sports Authority of India (SAI) in Hissar, Haryana. He has joined the academy recently and is picking up finer nuances of the sport under experienced mentors.
Selay, a resident of Mango and son of Durga Charan who works for a catering firm, was facing acute diet problems while sustaining the load of a power sport like boxing. His modest family couldn't afford to provide him with the nutrition he needed. But, the shortcomings did not deter the boy boxer from bagging gold medals during his days at the Tata Boxing Centre (TBC).
The four-year training stint in Hissar will do a world of good for Selay. He will not only get good diet and structured training, but SAI will also take care of his education and other needs.
"Selay Soy's induction into SAI is a huge development. He was very happy when he left Jamshedpur to join the cradle. He is all set to improve his boxing skills by leaps and bounds," Tata centre chief coach Ajit Singh said. Selay will also be able to practise with good partners. "His solid show during his four-year stint at TBC may earn him an extension," Singh added.
Besides Selay, another TBC trainee Rahul Kumar, also attended the SAI selection trials held three months ago, but couldn't make the cut.
An unassuming tribal teen, Selay who used to sustain himself on maar-bhaat and aloo bhujiya, boasts golden fists because he has never lost a bout since he joined the Tata centre in 2011.
His winning streak began with the All India Inter-steel Plants Boxing Championship at JRD Tata Sports Complex the same year. He had floored his opponent in the 28-30kg weight category.
In 2012, Selay claimed gold in the 30-32kg weight section at the state championship in Noamundi, West Singhbhum, before clinching yet another top slot (32-34kg) in the all India inter-steel plant meet in Jamshedpur the same year.
He later trained his punches on National School Games, walking home with another yellow metal, this time in the 34-36kg weight category in Bhatinda, Punjab, in 2013.
Selay again won the 26-38kg gold at the 2014 edition of National School Games in Anandpur Sahib, Punjab. He picked the gold medal in the state championship held in Jamshedpur in 2015.
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