Jaismine Lamboria chasing Commonwealth gold for India

World champion Jaismine Lamboria wants gold at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow after taking bronze at Birmingham four years ago, and she is drawing inspiration from an unlikely source: former Indian cricket captain MS Dhoni.

"I really admire MS Dhoni's mindset," the 24-year-old told the BBC. "He is known as 'Captain Cool' for a reason, and I want to be calm like him."

From Paris setback to world title at 57kg

Lamboria won the 57kg world championship in Liverpool last year after switching down from 60kg, a move that came on the heels of a first-round Olympic exit in Paris to Tokyo silver medallist Nesthy Petecio. The loss, according to the BBC, was disappointing but proved to be a turning point. She credits coaches at the Army Sports Institute in Pune for sharpening her physical strength and mental game, and the shift paid off when she beat Paris Olympic silver medallist Julia Atena Szeremeta of Poland for the world crown.

After her Birmingham bronze, Lamboria became the first woman boxer inducted into the Indian Army, joining the Corps of Military Police and training under its Mission Olympics Wing. The army has since launched the Girls Sports Company to create a pipeline for young female athletes aged 12 to 16, including boxers. One graduate has already won Asian Championships gold, a fact that Lamboria says makes her happy. She comes from Bhiwani, a city dubbed India's Mini Cuba for its boxing pedigree, and her great-grandfather Hawa Singh won back-to-back Asian Games golds in 1966 and 1970.

Lamboria fights in Glasgow starting 24 July, with finals scheduled for 31 July and 1 August. She told the BBC she wants to recreate the feeling of hearing the Indian anthem play after winning the world title in Liverpool. Her goal is straightforward: change the colour of that Commonwealth medal to gold.

Source: bbc.co.uk