Shiva Thapa Qualifies For London Olympics 2012
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Shiva Thapa: Young Boxing Sensation From India

Shiva Thapa is the youngest Indian boxer to qualify for Olympics.  He was earlier involved with athletics and football but he joined boxing after getting inspiration by watching Mike Tyson on TV.

Shiva Thapa is 18 (56kg) and got his London ticket by winning gold medal at the Asian Olympic Qualifiers in April this year. He is a silver-medallist from the World Youth Championships and the Youth Olympic Games. He graduated last year and is getting stronger day by day.

Shiva Thapa surprised everyone, even his coaches by defeating a reigning world champion and getting gold medal in his debut senior international event.

Shiva Thapa said, “I took up boxing when I saw Mike Tyson. I was just awestruck by his charisma and the way he made boxing look so stylish. And the decision has worked well for me. Now I just need to keep working hard and the results will follow. Yes, getting to Olympics is a dream realised but the real fun is in getting medal. People remember medallists not the ones who qualified”.

His father is a former karate player, Padam Thapa who knew that his son would be an Olympian even before he was born. And now Shiva Thapa has fulfilled his father’s dreams.

Shiva Thapa added “I don’t see my family for months together. In my youth days I spent most of my time in Pune at the Army Sports Institute where my initial training happened. After going to the senior level, I am in Patiala most of the time. I just about manage to get a couple of days with my family in months”.

He has finished his schooling last year and is planning for higher studies after Olympics. His father said, “He will decide what he wants to do in higher studies after London. Right now his focus is on boxing, nothing else”.

He is also a part time singer and he’s really good at it. Music must have been his career if he would not have chosen boxing.

Source: The Hindu

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