Boxer Fernandes has many strings to her bow

INDIA-BORN KIWI HAS HAD A FASCINATING JOURNEY TO THE GAMES

A l a r i c G o m e s

Siona Fernandes’s decision to take up boxing two-and-a-half years ago to improve her fitness was well timed, given that female pugilists have made their Olympic debut in London.

And her journey to this historic point is also the stuff of fairytales. The Indian, who was born in Goa, visited her doctor father in Auckland, New Zealand, in 2008 — and ended up staying and has competed for her adopted country at the Games.

She had just completed her masters degree in psychology from Bangalore University. During the course of her studies in India and at the insistence of her teacher mum, she started learning the Indian classical dance form of Bharatnatyam.

But in New Zealand she did not continue with her dancing. After a brief stint in the New Zealand army as she sought other possible career paths, Fernandes stumbled upon the Les Mills World of Fitness — and the rest, as they say, is history.

National trial

In one of her first competitive fights, she won a national trial that saw her getting selected for the 2010 women’s world championships held in Barbados. She lost to eventual bronze medallist Csilla Nemedi-Varga of Hungary in the second round of the 54kg competition.

Since then she has captured a silver at this year’s Arafura games in Darwin. And at last month’s national champion- ships, Fernandes claimed her first title in the 51kg flyweight division and was also named the ‘most scientific’ of the elite female fighters.

“I started boxing as fun and for me the fun continues to roll. I love the sport and I’ve made it to the Olympics.

“Coming up from 64kg to 51kg in a span of two years has been an amazing experience for me. And to come up here and give it my best against a very good boxer, this experience overall has been mind-blowing,” Fernandes told after losing 11-23 against Bulgarian boxer Stoyka Petrova in the opening round of the women’s 51kg flyweight category.

Fernandes is a soldier, dancer, boxer and psychologist, all wrapped up in a frame of just 1.63m. “My background is not a normal one. My dad is a doc- tor and mum is a teacher. I was born in Goa and did classical Indian dancing and kids turn around and ask ‘are we talking about the same person here?’”

“But I love new challenges as they make life more interesting, and going to New Zealand has given me this opportunity. Going through a struggle over the past two years living a fighter’s life has made me love the sport even more.”

And what exactly personifies the life of a fighter? “It’s about discipline,” she said.

“And this discipline is not just of the body and mind, but even more of the spirit... I can understand the whole meditation process, focusing on concentration and controlling the mind.

“Boxing to me is a journey, it is not about the fight. The fight is just the outcome of the journey.”