Nikhat Zareen continued to chart new highs in boxing after winning her second World Championships gold medal in New Delhi on Sunday. She beat Vietnam’s Nguyen Thi Tam in the 50kg summit clash with a 5-0 verdict. The victory was all the more sweet for Nikhat as this is new weight category for the 26-year-old. Her earlier World Championship (2022) win came in the 52 kg category. She changed her weight category as 50kg class is included in Olympics. Nikhat becomes only the second Indian after the legendary MC Mary Kom to win the prestigious title twice.
“I am happy that i have become world champion for the second time in a different weight category, which is an Olympic weight category. Today was the toughest bout of all as she has been an Asian champion too. This is good for me as my next target is Asian Games, there I am likely to face her again. Hopefully, I will do even better there,” Nikhat Zareen after her win.
“This is my first major competition in the new weight category after Commonwealth Games. In CWG, there was not much competition apart from boxers of England, Ireland. It was a tough world championship. I was fatigued in some of the matches and even won by split decision in one of the matches.”
She added that her Vietnamese rival pose a tough challenge for her. “I will work harder and be more strong in this category. I gave my everything as this was my last game,” she said.
“It was rollercoaster bout, she got warning and even i got it too. Last round my strategy was to go all out. I want to dedicate this medal to India. So many people have come to cheer me. Their motivation gives us strength. Everybody celebrated.”
“Last World title was easier and that was my normal weight. For the new weight category, had to reduce weight by following strict diet. After the nationals, I got less time. Whatever time I got, I gave my 100 per cent.
Nikhat becomes only the second Indian after the legendary MC Mary Kom to win the prestigious title twice.
On Saturday, Nitu Ghanghas (48kg) and Saweety Boora (81kg) were crowned world champions.
Hosts India are on course to match their best-ever performance in terms of gold medals won with Olympic medallist Lovlina Borgohain set to take the ring later in the day. India had won the four golds in the 2006 edition at home which was also the country’s best ever display with a haul of eight medals, including a silver.
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