In the bustling city of Mumbai, a young girl named Sneha Waykar has been making waves in the world of ChessBoxing. At just 24 years old, Sneha’s journey is one of determination and dedication. Sneha, who used to teach coding, has found herself in the exciting world of ChessBoxing. This unique sport combines chess and boxing, and Sneha has become quite successful in it.

Sneha Won 1 Gold & 2 Silver at World Championship, Riccoine, Italy in OCtober 2023

What is ChessBoxing?

In a chessboxing match, two competitors play alternate rounds of chess and boxing. It consists of alternating rounds, starting with a chess round where players make moves on a chessboard, followed by a boxing round where they engage in physical combat. The winner can be determined by either achieving a checkmate in chess or a knockout or decision in boxing. This unique combination of mental and physical prowess makes chessboxing a captivating and challenging sport for participants and spectators alike.

Let’s take a closer look at Sneha’s inspiring story and how she’s pursuing her passion despite challenges.

Achievements in Chess Boxing :-
2019-2020
• Won Gold at Maharashtra State Chess Boxing Championship 2019.
• Won Gold at 8th National Chess Boxing Championship.
2021-2022
• Secured Gold medal and awarded as Best Boxer at 5th Federation Cup.
• Won Gold at Maharashtra State Chess Boxing Championship 2021.
• Won Gold at 9th National Chess Boxing Championship.
2022-2023
• Secured Gold medal at Indian Open Chess Boxing World Cup.
• Won Gold at Maharashtra State Chess Boxing Championship 2022.
• Won Gold at 10th National Chess Boxing Championship.
• Secured Silver Medal in World Chess Boxing Championship (Turkey).
2023-2024
• Won Gold at Maharashtra State Chess Boxing Championship 2023.
• Won Gold at 11th National Chess Boxing Championship.
• Won Gold at First Ever Asian Chess Boxing Championship 2023.
• Secured Silver medal at Indian Open Chess Boxing Championship.

Family & Friends Support

At age of 2 years, Sneha lost her father and mother became sole earner. Her mom who was a kabaddi player supported  in pursuing Sneha’s dreams in Chessboxing. She took care of her diet, accompanied her in every matches and helped in every way. The only thing her Mom insisted on having a backup plan. In India, not everyone can have a stable career in sports, so her Mom made her study as well. Sneha completed her engineering degree in computer science and now she teaches coding part-time at the Ed-Tech platform called BrightChamps.

Sneha was really thrilled to share how her friends supported throughout her Engineering years. They not only cheered her to participate in ChessBoxing events but also stood by her for financial help. She specifically mentioned some of her friends name who played important role in her life, they are Sarah Vejlani, Atharva Kulkarni and Sakshi Patil.

Choice of ChessBoxing:

Sneha’s adventure in ChessBoxing began in 2019. Her coach, Mr. Ajit Parab, encouraged her to give it a try since the sport was gaining popularity in Europe and Russia. Sneha was already into boxing. Despite not being a chess expert, Sneha took up the challenge and started practicing with her family who were good in Chess.

I have been working hard by practicing twice a day balancing with MY work schedule. It’s been very hectic but I have no choice.

– Sneha Waykar

Even as a kid, Sneha was interested in sports. She started with badminton and then switched to boxing. Boxing became a way for her to deal with problems in life and turn negative energy into positive. After training for about six months, she entered her first tournament. Although she didn’t win, Sneha didn’t give up. She kept practicing and improving until she started winning medals. She further adds that chessboxing is a tough sport that combines physical strength with mental strategy.

It’s like playing chess and boxing in one match. Sneha has to train her body and mind to be successful. It’s challenging, especially when going from boxing to chess rounds. Sneha has learned to manage her body and mind to perform well in both aspects of the sport.

Financial Support

Sneha’s journey hasn’t been without its difficulties. Finding sponsors and financial support is a challenge in Indian sports. Despite the hurdles, Sneha remains motivated and determined to achieve her goal of participating in the Olympics and bringing home a medal. She believes that ChessBoxing has a bright future in India and hopes to see more tournaments being organized.

Appeal for Sponsorship

Now Sneha is preparing for 5th World Chessboxing Championship 2023 is going to be held at Riccione, Italy from 28th October to 2nd November 2023. She is looking for sponsorship and hopeful to find it soon. She hoping to find a good sponsors in long term by which the sports will gain popularity and the players can concentrate on performance.

Sneha’s story is one of hard work, determination, and the pursuit of a dream. From coding to ChessBoxing, she’s shown that with dedication and passion, anything is possible. As Sneha continues to chase her dreams, she serves as an inspiration to others who want to follow their passions, no matter the obstacles.

Video of Sneha Waykar

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