Former Fiji amateur boxing champion Gyan Kumar is reaping the rewards of a plan he set two decades ago in Labasa.
Now residing in Australia, his plan is bearing fruits.
“Those days in Labasa, we were poor,” Kumar said from his home yesterday. “Growing up, I always say that one day I will live like a champion.”
Kumar and his family celebrated the achievement of his eldest daughter, Elisha, last week. She is 13.
She won the Australian National Club girls under-14 boxing title in the U50 kilogram division. Elisha is the fi rst South Seas islander and Fijian to get the title.
“Her opponent was two years older and weighed 54kg.”
“We are so happy and personally, the plan I set years ago in Fiji is bearing fruits. I never introduced my daughters to sports, it just came from them. Elisha is into boxing while her sister, Tanisha, who is in Year 7, is the state number one and two in high jump and long jump. Both desire to go to the Olympics and I will let them chose which country they want to represent. “My job is to prepare them for their goals. It is the natural talents that are in them.
For Elisha I never introduced her to boxing, It came from her. My job is to mould them so that they use can use their God-given talents and skills.
“Our goal is for them to be the best in whatever they do.”
Gyan’s background
Gyan moved to Australia after working at the then Fiji Daily Post and The Fiji Times newspapers as a sports journalist. Boxing brought him from Labasa to Suva in the days of champions such as Sakaraia Ve, Alipate Korovou and former top trainer and coach Igneous Mow. “I was introduced to boxing by my father Babu Prasad, who was a small time boxer.
We had a pair of boxing gloves at home and we always used to spar among four brothers. I am the youngest. When I was in my early teens, I used to take the boxing gloves to Bulileka Village and ask if some of the boys there would like to spar me.
“Sometimes the whole koro (village) rugby team members will spar me. This continued week after week for a few years. After the first couple of sparing sessions, I started getting respect from the village boys. We became close friends and they started making excuses not to spar me.”
He said his village and sugarcane background farming upbringing gave birth to a tough character.
“I grew up in a Christian family. I love boxing and I love Jesus. I played lots of soccer in my younger days but I always know boxing was my sport. I had good boxing footwork because of my soccer skills. Boxing is not about being tough, but to be successful and to have long career, you need to be mentally tough and intelligent. I always remember that this game is called boxing, not fighting. So, I used to box with intelligence.”
Family
Gyan is now 41 and happily married to Romeeta Kumar.
“Jesus has always been my strength. My wife is my pillar. I have two daughters; Elisha and Tanisha. Both kids have different strengths and play different sport. As a coach, I design their training programs and game plans. Each kid does three days of training over six-days each week. Elisha does soccer, boxing and netball. Tanisha is into athletics and netball. Elisha is strong.
She has progressed well in both sports. She is a good finisher and goal-scorer in soccer and great in boxing. We have to look to other states for potential boxing matches. We are planning now that when borders open, we look for competitions abroad.
“I am looking at Fiji too to have competitions and I encourage girls to take up the sport. I plan to conduct some coaching programs in Fiji because I want to give back to my country what I had learned. “I have realised that my apple did not fall far from our tree. Elisha has twice won the player of the season award in local club soccer for three years. Tanisha has won two state silver medals in long jump and the state best high jump record for 2017/18.
“Tanisha is fast, flexible and mentally strong and won gold medals in her international debut against the NZ team during the Trans-Tasman Athletics Championship in January 2019.
“Elisha is always setting the benchmark. She is strong and good in soccer and boxing. We are looking at the Youth Olympics, Youth Commonwealth Games and the Olympics for them. I’m planning to take Elisha to India in a few years for training and sparing. India for girls boxing is like ‘Real Madrid’ of soccer.”
Transit from Fiji
“I moved to Australia in the middle of my career in 2006. “My good friend and first boxing trainer Joe Keresi always wanted me to move to Australia for better opportunity. He always told me do boxing as long as I want. He knew I was crazy about boxing, but once I finish boxing, he wanted me to finish my accounting degree and move to Australia.
“I stayed for two years close to Joe Keresi from 1999-2001 in Sydney while completing my accounting diploma at the Sydney TAFE and boxing at a gym Keresi found for me.
“I started my boxing in 1998 and was picked into the national team when I was in Form 6. I migrated to Sydney in mid-2006 after my third Commonwealth Games.
“I completed my accounting degree 2010. I’m now completing my Masters in Accounting and BA in Christian Ministry. I live in Sydney with my wife and two daughters and have a great career as an accountant in Not For Profit industry.”
“Sports help us to set goals, to look for a bigger picture in life. We exercise Jesus’s provision in our lives. Sports help us to bound as a family and have valuable relationship with kids. Sports bring greater discipline in life and self-confidence. I always advise my athletes it’s not about wining but improving from last performance.
“I am now an Australian national level boxing referee and a qualified boxing coach and fitness coach. I manage an athletics clubs U11 girls which has 12 members. Fiji is my blood, sweat and tears. I enjoy sports, respect other coaches and love Jesus.
“Always play like a champion than live like a champion.”
