New Delhi: Elisa Williams is relieved as the referee raises her hand as the winner. During her bout – the second round in particular – she was getting a beating from Japan’s Hinami Yanai, her opponent in the 60kg first round bout at the World Championships.
But, she made a comeback in the third to secure a win by unanimous decision. The 38-year-old is in New Delhi for her first ever World Championships and a loss in the opening round would have been nothing short of a disappointment. Especially after all the sacrifices she has made to reach this level.
Having come half-way around the world to compete at her first Worlds, the Panama boxer remained calm following her win. There were no animated celebrations, perhaps because of her life experiences.
Williams’ tryst with boxing fairly new. Just eight years ago, she was part the of the Panama national softball team and was a city police sergeant. Balancing her life was a challenge with two daughters to take care of at home.
“Working with Panama City police is a tough job. Tougher than boxing for sure. You have to deal with criminals and I have caught a few of them. Everyday doing both things is a difficult job,” Williams says, with help of her coach Saul Saucedo who also works as a translator.
Beating up boxers in the ring doesn’t even come close the operations she has been part of as a city police personnel. Once, she was caught in a crossfire when the the forces were trying to catch a criminal.
Williams came out unscathed from that incident despite firing from both sides. Their team was successful in nabbing the criminal, but Williams says that it’s difficult to manage two physically demanding professions.
“When you are boxing, you have to practice everyday and then go to the police duty so it makes very difficult for me. Then I have two daughters, who were growing up at that time,” she says.
Neither of her daughters have taken up boxing but have been supportive of their mom doing it. But to spend more time with her family, she has had long given up on the softball career despite being the national champion.
Williams has reached the top in Panama despite taking to the sport relatively late in her career. The recent years are punctuated with her winning several international medals, including the gold at the Central American Games and Continental Games.
Success, however, has come recently. During the Rio Olympics qualifying period, Williams had to move to the 60kg weight category and try her luck after boxing in 64kg category at the start of her career.
“It was difficult adjusting to the new weight category and I took part in the qualifying. But it was not to be and I failed to qualify,” she says.
The lightweight boxer, however, has not given up on the prospect of being an Olympian two years from now in Tokyo. “I’ll try to qualify for the 2020 Olympics before that will be my last competition. I will retire after that and spend more time with my family, especially my grandson,” she says.
Her daughter Elizabeth gave birth to her grandson Marice two years ago. Now that Elise is in India, she doesn’t forget to get updates from her family back home WhatsApp and checks on him every now and then.
“When I was travelling, my family wished my luck and even my police team were excited about this. They told me to do good and I am really liking it here, to compete and win,” she says.
The path to a medal here in Delhi will be a tough one for her. She faces Russia’s Anastasia Belyakova, the bronze medal at the Rio Olympics in the next round and that could well determine her future at the event.