The High Performance Director (HPD) of Indian Boxing, Bernard Dunne, spoke to Times of India about the exceptional run of India in boxing. Dunne praised the clarity in achieving their goals and getting the processes right for preparation and competition. He also focused on India’s rich pool of talented athletes, stating that it is his job to help them realise their strengths and take Indian boxing to the next level.
Dunne spoke about how the recently-implemented evaluation process can ensure consistency in performance. He gave an insight into the comprehensive evaluation parameters and explained how it is important to judge the athletes’ consistency in various attributes, from behaviour and attitude to sparring sessions. He emphasised that the best athlete will always be chosen through this objective assessment process.
Further, Dunne spoke about Indian boxing’s achievements and challenges, mentioning that his focus is set on achieving Olympic gold medals. He shared his vision for India’s aspiring athletes and spoke about his plan to make Small, incremental changes rather than disruptive ones, considering the approaching Paris Games.
Dunne also talked about the upcoming Asian Games, stating that it is the first qualifying event for the Olympics. He believes that once they achieve their best performance, multiple boxers will qualify for the Olympics, and regardless of the pressure, every athlete who qualifies for the Olympics will be a genuine medal hope.
Dunne appeared confident about India’s progress in boxing and debunked the myth that his assessment towards athletes during evaluations is biased. Since he is not connected to any state, job or service, Dunne assures fans that his sole purpose is to help Indian boxing become better.