Nikhat Zareen became the fifth Indian boxer to win a gold medal!
On Wednesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met the women boxers who won medals at the World Boxing Championships last month.
India won gold and two bronze medals at the recently concluded championship. Nikhat Zareen became the fifth Indian boxer to win a gold medal at the Women's World Boxing Championships, joining Mary Kom, Sarita Devi, Jenny RL, and Lekha KC. Manisha Moun and debutant Parveen Hooda won the bronze medals in the 57kg and 63kg respectively.
India's last gold medal at the championship had come in 2018 when Mary Kom defeated Ukraine's Hanna Okhota in the light flyweight category (45-48 kg).
Since winning a gold medal in the flyweight division at the Women's Junior and Youth World Boxing Championship in Turkey in 2011, it has been a difficult journey for Zareen.
In the 2019 edition of the senior World Championships, Mary Kom was preferred over Zareen because of her consistent performances despite the latter asking for a fair trial from the BFI. Mark Kom went on to claim her eighth world medal, a bronze.
According to the tweet, Nikhat wrote, “An honour to meet our Hon’ble PM @narendramodi sir. Thank you, sir,” she said.
The boxer, born in Nizamabad in Telangana, registered a dominating 5-0 victory in the final. Living up to the expectations, Nikhat thrashed Thailand’s Jitpong Jutamas without breaking a sweat in the 52kg final 30-27, 29-28, 29-28, 30-27, and 29-28. It was also India’s first gold medal in the world’s championship since boxing great Mary Kom won it in 2018.
PC: ANI
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