Bhutan is set to host the Four Nations boxing championship 2025. The event will begin on Friday in Thimphu. After months of preparation, Bhutanese athletes are ready to take on international challengers and prove their skills in the ring.
For the past two months, 28 boxers, including 13 girls and 15 boys, have been training rigorously.
Out of 28 boxers, only 12 boxers, seven girls, and five boys will represent Bhutan in the championship.
Among them is 18-year-old Norbu Dema from Trashi Yangtse, studying in the 10th grade at Lungtenphu Middle Secondary School. She joined the Bhutan Boxing Federation at 16 and was awarded Best Female Boxer in a friendly competition during a joint training camp between Bangladesh and Bhutan. This time, she will compete in the 54-kilogramme weight category in the senior female division.
Norbu Dema said, “We are preparing for the upcoming tournament. I expect to win and make our country proud. We have been training for about two months for this tournament.”
20-year-old Kinley from Trongsa will compete in the 60-kilogramme weight category in the men’s division. He participated in the 2018 Asian Junior Boxing Championship. Kinley, who is a soldier, started boxing at the age of 12 and has won two gold medals from joint training camps in Nepal and Bangladesh.
Kinley said, “I have been boxing for about eight years and have played in two international tournaments. We have trained well for the four-nation championship and eagerly await the day. The Bhutan Olympic Committee and the Royal Bhutan Army have greatly supported us.”
Kinga Wangmo from Trashi Yangtse, also an army personnel, will compete in the 57-kilogramme weight category. The 25-year-old joined the federation in 2023 and has won two gold medals from training camps in Nepal and Bangladesh.
Kinga Wangmo said, “As we are a little older, training is not as smooth as it is for younger athletes who have been boxing since childhood. But we are all determined to win in the Four-Nations Championship. With this hope, we are training hard.”
According to the Bhutan Boxing Federation, these training camps not only boost the confidence of young boxers but also provide valuable experience for future international competitions.
“We are organizing these tournaments to prepare our boxers for international events such as the Youth Boxing Championship and the Thailand International Open Championship. The Bhutan Boxing Federation supports these tournaments to help athletes exchange culture and develop their skills,” said Sonam Penjor, the administrative officer with the Bhutan Boxing Federation.
Head Coach Girchungla said, “The athletes are training well, and we are providing them with the best coaching. We hope they will perform well. Organizing such tournaments helps them gain experience and compete confidently in other international events.”
The senior men’s team will compete in weight categories ranging from 48 to 63.5 kilogrammes, while the female boxers will fight in 46 to 70 kilogrammes weight categories.
More than 80 officials and boxers from India, Nepal, and Bangladesh will join Bhutan for the competition.
Karma Wangdi
Edited by Phub Gyem
