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Having set the ball rolling with two high-quality competitions in Noida and Guwahati, the 2nd Rural Electrification Corporation Limited (REC) Talent Hunt boxing competition is heading towards a grand finale with the Combined National Talent Hunt to be held in Rohtak, Haryana from October 6-22, 2024.
Organised by the Boxing Federation of India (BFI) in association with REC Limited, a leading Maharatna company under the Ministry of Power, and the Sports Authority of India, the 2nd REC Open Talent Hunt competition, the first two legs of the Talent Hunt saw over 4,000 boxers from sub-junior to senior age categories showcase their skills in Noida and Guwahati and the top eight pugilists from both the competitions will get a chance to seek a direct entry in the National Championships by reaching the final, while the quarterfinalists will earn a scholarship from BFI to support their training--an initiative started by BFI for the first time this year. The Elite and Youth men and women competition will be played from Oct 6-13 with the Elite boxers competing in 12 weight categories and the Youth in 10. This will be followed by competition in Junior and sub-junior men and women competitions from Oct 15-22 and will have 13 and 14 weight categories, respectively. "Compared to last year, we have received an overwhelming response to the Talent Hunt with the overall quality of boxers coming from different parts of the country has been very encouraging. The direct entry for the two finalists in the Nationals and an outside chance of making it to the National Camp have been two major reasons behind this improved participation and we are looking forward to selecting some good talent to nurture from the combined nationals," said Hemanta Kumar Kalita, Secretary General, Boxing Federation of India. The flag-ship initiative aimed at growing the sport beyond the traditional pockets and, in the process, identifying and nurturing emerging talent that can bring glory for the nation in major international competitions like the world championships, Asian Games, Commonwealth Games and the Olympics. Last year, the talent hunt was held across four locations, followed by a combined nationals, and over 6,000 boxers had participated across the country. (ANI)
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