COIMBATORE: G Jeni Akalya, a Class X student at Coimbatore Corporation Higher Secondary School in Rathinapuri, has been selected for the national-level boxing championship to be held in Manipur next month. She will be competing in the under-17 (50-52 kg) category.For almost three consecutive years from 2023 to 2025, she won gold medals in the national kickboxing championship. She has participated in five national tournaments. In the recently held national-level kickboxing championship in Odisha, she won a silver medal.“For almost five to six years, only I, as a female from Coimbatore, had gone for the nationals. In other age groups also, we barely had any representation. But this year, under my age but for the 75-80 kgs category, a girl from a private school has been selected for the national championship,” Jeni said.Jeni’s father, C Kannan, 48, who runs an auto workshop, was a state kabaddi player during his younger years. Talking to TOI, Kannan said, “With my little income, I try my best to support my daughter’s talent. Since she has previously won the national, she was very much eligible to participate in the international kickboxing tournaments. But due to a lack of financial support, we could only attend the nationals. However, I am committed to making her play in the internationals.”Kannan said the sport needs more awareness among the people. “When compared to cities like Delhi, Coimbatore is very much behind in this sport, especially female participation. Even now, not many know that Jeni is a national medallist.”Kannan underscored the efforts he puts in to train his daughter. “Every day, she would have to go to at least three different locations, either Ganapathy, Vadavalli or RS Puram, based on the availability of the coach. I spend more than Rs 30,000 a month for her training sessions and take her to tournaments and practice sessions organised in various cities. Every time I take her to tournaments, it costs me more than Rs 1 lakh, and I spend Rs 3-4 lakhs a year just on these tournaments. If I had some financial support, Jeni would have made it to the International, representing India.”
