Health scare for Jaismine puts CWG hopes on edge as world champion races to regain fitness

New Delhi: Jaismine Lamboria, India’s biggest boxing medal hope for the upcoming Commonwealth Games, is recovering from a health scare, with authorities keeping their fingers crossed that she regains full fitness in time for the multisport event.The reigning world champion and newly crowned World No. 1 in the women’s 57kg category has resumed training but is still under recovery, raising concerns just days before the Indian squad leaves for its final overseas preparation.

Sources said Jaismine suffered a blow near her head and eye during the Asian Championships in Mongolia, where she won silver in the 57kg category, resulting in concussion that required a neurological evaluation in Chandigarh.Her neuro report did not reveal any major injury. However, she later developed digestion-related complications, leading to hospitalisation under the Boxing Federation of India's (BFI) observation and prolonged medication.The setback forced her to miss the 56th Grand Prix Ústi nad Labem tournament in Czech Republic from June 15 to 21, where the rest of India’s CWG and Asian Games-bound boxers competed.Jaismine, who was exempted from the selection trials after reaching the Asian Championships final as per BFI policy, is expected to join the Indian contingent for the multinational training camp in Belfast, Ireland, scheduled from July 10-21.

The camp will feature strong Commonwealth nations, including hosts Ireland and England, before the CWG-bound team moves to Glasgow. The No. 1 boxers selected for the CWG and Asian Games, along with reserve boxers, will attend the Belfast camp, with the reserves returning to India thereafter.It’s pertinent to note that Jaismine has qualified only for the CWG, as her weight division is not part of the Asian Games programme.Meanwhile, men’s 65kg reserve boxer Abhinash Jamwal has been ruled out of the Belfast camp after sustaining a lower back injury and will remain in India for treatment.