President lauds Vijender for winning Olympic medal

New Delhi, Aug 22 (UNI) President Pratibha Patil today congratulated Vijender Kumar for clinching a bronze medal at the Beijing Olympics.

''I am very happy and proud that you have won the bronze medal at the Beijing Olympics in the middleweight division of the boxing competition,'' the President said in a statement here.

''Your achievement is praiseworthy not only because you have given India another medal at the Games, but also more so because you have pushed yourself to the limit in the true spirit of the Olympics, while being pitted against the best in world,'' she added.

''I wish you all the best for the future.'' Vijender is the first Indian boxer to win a medal at the Olympics. He also became the first Indian pugilist to enter the semifinals at the world's greatest sporting spectacle after outpunching Carlos Gongora of Ecuador in the quarterfinals.

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