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SINGAPORE – After missing the 2022 Hanoi SEA Games, Singaporean boxer Danisha Matiaragan believes she has done enough to qualify for the 2023 tournament in Cambodia. was
Unfortunately, her Women’s Light Flyweight (50kg) has since been cancelled. Having reached the quarter-finals of the 2019 SEA Games, Danisha said her promotion to bantamweight (54kg) was a step too far and she wanted to retire from the sport.
The 25-year-old said:
“It has always been my goal to win a medal at the SEA Games. After finding out that they canceled my weight class, I honestly considered retiring.
But her coach, Muhammad Ridwan, a three-time SEA Games bronze medalist, persuaded her to stay on course.
The 35-year-old, who co-founded Legends Fight Sports, the boxing club where Danisha trains, said: I have seen her fight top level boxers and she has held herself against them.She works hard, listens and most importantly, she is that the training fits her program. ”
Danisha, who beat Australia’s No. 1 boxer Madeleine Bowen in the 48 kg division in 2022, said: He and his friends from Legends Fight Sport, who I’ve been with since he was 17, are my personal cheerleaders. After their words of encouragement, I decided to continue boxing and see what the future holds.
She will compete in the World Boxing Tour event in Morocco next February and will prepare for the Women’s World Boxing Championship in New Delhi next month. Her long-term goal is to qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics and in 1972 Saeed will become the first Singaporean to do so since Abdul Qadir competed in Munich.
Ridwan said: Qualifying for the Olympics begins in 2024 for him, so we are gearing up with that goal in mind. ”
Attending the 2023 SEA Games is out of the question, but Ridhwan hopes Danisha will still be able to compete in the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China in September. In order to do so, she needs to perform well in upcoming overseas competitions and hopes that her appeal will be enough to gain the approval of the Singapore National Olympic Council.
Another obstacle Danisha faces is travel expenses. Due to the limited funds received by the Singapore Boxing Federation, boxers who wish to compete in overseas tournaments are mostly self-funded.
In 2021, she raised $5,000 from a crowdfunding campaign. This will help cover most of your travel expenses to Morocco and India.
She’s aiming for the top of the world rankings, but she doesn’t skimp on her studies either.
“When I compete in New Delhi in March, I also have to bring my schoolwork with me. said Danisha, who has a degree in diagnostics and works freelance as an embalmer.
“It’s not easy being a part-time athlete while juggling a lot. I will continue.”
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