In a significant move for Indian boxing, Santiago Nieva has returned to take charge as the head coach of the women's national team. The Argentina-born Swedish coach, who previously served as India's High Performance Director, comes back after a successful stint with Australia, where he helped the team secure two medals at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Rebuilding after Paris: A programme strong enough to withstand setbacks
Nieva assumes his role at a crucial juncture, following India's failure to win a boxing medal at the Paris Games. While he refrains from commenting directly on what went wrong in Paris, citing his absence from the camp at the time, he presents a clear philosophy for the future. "You need to make sure that the programme is strong enough that if one or two of your stronger boxers fail, others can step up," Nieva stated in an interview.
He draws a parallel with Great Britain's performance, which dropped from six medals in Tokyo to just two in Paris, highlighting the unpredictable nature of top-level competition. The coach sees a silver lining in the expansion of women's Olympic weight categories, which will increase to seven for the 2028 Los Angeles Games, offering India more chances to podium.
The roadmap to Los Angeles 2028
Nieva's immediate task is to assess the current competitive status of India's women boxers. He points to the recent World Championships, where India won four medals, including a gold by Jaismine Lamboriya in the Olympic 57kg category, as a positive sign. However, he acknowledges the rising competition from nations like Kazakhstan, Poland, Turkey, and China.
The upcoming Commonwealth Games and Asian Games will serve as key indicators of India's progress. "With Uzbekistan too having a good women’s boxing programme, we need to win medals at the Asian Games," Nieva emphasised. He believes Indian boxers like Minakshi Hooda, Jaismine Lamboriya, Nikhat Zareen, and Lovlina Borgohain possess great skills but need to develop more consistency and tactical versatility to handle different styles of opponents.
His blueprint for the next three years involves a mix of evolving techniques, mastering basics, and building tactical power. He is impressed by the rise of Poland in world boxing, attributing it to detailed tactical work and a collaborative coaching environment. The plan includes ensuring robust international exposure, facing stronger opponents throughout the Olympic cycle, and working individually with each athlete to build on their strengths and master variations.
Selection philosophy and building a champion team
Reiterating a stance from his previous tenure, Nieva remains an advocate for moving beyond pure trial-based selection. He believes in backing boxers who have proven themselves on the international stage. "That’s old school," he said about relying solely on trials. While acknowledging that close categories may need assessment, he maintains that in most cases, the number one boxer over a period is clear and should be supported.
Nieva returns with a positive mindset, familiar with the Indian boxing landscape and its athletes. His mission is clear: to build a deep, resilient programme that can not only produce stars but also ensure that the system is robust enough to deliver Olympic glory in Los Angeles, regardless of individual setbacks.
