Latest news with #NikhatZareen
Time of India
5 hours ago
- Sport
- Time of India
Focused on a medal for India: Nikhat Zareen on returning to WBC 2025:
Nikhat Zareen, India's two-time world champion boxer, is set to compete at the World Boxing Championships in Liverpool this September after recovering from a knee injury. Sidelined since October, she expressed her determination to secure a medal and represent India with pride. Indian boxer Nikhat Zareen is set to return to the international ring at the World Boxing Championships in Liverpool this September, marking her first major outing since the Paris Olympics last year. The two-time world champion, sidelined with a knee injury since October, announced her selection to the national team on Sunday, saying she is determined to 'fight for a medal and make the country proud. ' Speaking to Hyderabad Times during a recent visit to the city for a press meet ahead of the Hyderabad Marathon, Nikhat reflected on her recovery journey. 'It wasn't easy, but I always stayed strong, both physically and mentally,' she said. 'Whenever I felt tired or things got tough, I reminded myself why I started. My journey has never been easy, but each challenge made me stronger, and I chose to push through no matter what. ' You Can Also Check: Hyderabad AQI | Weather in Hyderabad | Bank Holidays in Hyderabad | Public Holidays in Hyderabad The 28-year-old's injury kept her away from the ring for three months, disrupting the momentum she had hoped to carry forward from her Olympic debut. Now training at the national camp in Patiala, Nikhat has already started to find her rhythm, recently winning silver at the Elite Women's Boxing Tournament in Hyderabad. Looking ahead, she said, 'It feels great to represent India again after a long break. I've worked hard for this and I'm focused on bringing home a medal. I believe this is just the start for me.'
The Hindu
4 days ago
- Sport
- The Hindu
Injury behind her, Nikhat Zareen eyes third World Championship title
Having made it to the Indian team for the World Boxing Championships, Nikhat Zareen believes that she heads to Liverpool, England, with a renewed sense of belief in her ability to bag yet another medal on the global stage. 'I'm looking forward to being back on the international scene after a long time. Everyone wants me to perform well there, win a medal and make the country proud, but, obviously, more than them, I want to bring back that old Nikhat who used to win medals at the World Championship. I want to bring back that old Nikhat who has that hunger to win medals at the Worlds,' she told Sportstar. Nikhat will compete in her preferred 51kg category at the inaugural edition of the event, which is being conducted by World Boxing, the newly formed international governing body for the sport. ALSO READ | From chubby kid to champion: World Cup medallist Hitesh Gulia 'had no aim of making a career out of boxing' The 28-year-old returns to the Indian national setup for the first time since the 2024 Paris Olympics after impressing at the Elite Women's Boxing Tournament held here earlier this month. She, however, pulled out of the final citing injury. Self-belief A two-time gold medallist at the World Championships (Istanbul 2022 and New Delhi 2023), Nikhat reiterated that she is capable of putting bad form behind her and bringing glory to India once again. 'Sometimes it [defeat] happens. It was not in my destiny, maybe. I don't want to underestimate myself or say that I'm not good enough to win an Olympic medal. I will keep pushing myself no matter what. FILE PHOTO - Zareen Nikhat of Team India makes her way to the ring prior to her Women's 50kg preliminary round match against Yu Wu of Team China on day six of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at North Paris Arena on August 01, 2024 in Paris, France. | Photo Credit: Getty Images 'Not everyone can win a world championship gold medal, not just once, but twice. I'm still that Nikhat who has the hunger to achieve and make the country proud. I'm happy that I'm finally back in the national team, the focus is now on just winning the medal,' she added. Injury comeback Nikhat dealt with a meniscus injury recently, which required a few months of rehab. While admitting that her recovery wasn't easy, she said that she focused on the larger goals to ensure she made a successful and quick comeback. 'The recovery wasn't easy, but I always kept myself strong, both physically and mentally. Whenever I felt like it [the comeback] is not going to happen or that it was becoming tougher every day, I always reminded myself about why I started on this path. This is not the end,' she stated. With the LA Olympics less than three years away, Nikhat emphasized that the disappointment in Paris has perhaps spurred her on further in her pursuit of her sport's biggest prize. 'My ultimate dream is to win an Olympic medal. I'm not gonna give up so easily.'
The Hindu
4 days ago
- Sport
- The Hindu
Nikhat Zareen eyes medal at World Boxing Championships, with renewed focus on LA Olympics 2028
Having made it to the Indian team for the World Boxing Championships, Nikhat Zareen believes that she heads to Liverpool, England, with a renewed sense of belief in her ability to bag yet another medal on the global stage. 'I'm looking forward to being back on the international scene after a long time. Everyone wants me to perform well there, win a medal and make the country proud. However, more than them, I want to bring back that old Nikhat Zareen who used to win medals at the World Championship. I want to bring back that old Nikhat who has that hunger to win medals at the Worlds,' she told The Hindu. Nikhat will compete in her preferred 51kg category at the inaugural edition of the event, which is being conducted by World Boxing, the newly formed international governing body for the sport. The 28-year-old returns to the Indian national setup for the first time since the 2024 Paris Olympics after an impressive show at the Elite women's boxing tournament held here earlier this month. She, however, pulled out of the final citing injury. Felt the energy at the 8th Elite Women's National Boxing Championship opening ceremony. Proud to stand among champions, past and future!😇 Let's go, champs! 🥊👍 — Nikhat Zareen (@nikhat_zareen) March 22, 2025 Self-belief A two-time gold medallist at the World Championships (Istanbul 2022 and New Delhi 2023), Nikhat reiterated that she was capable of putting bad form behind her and bringing glory to India once again. 'Sometimes it [defeat] happens. It was not in my destiny, maybe. I don't want to underestimate myself or say that I'm not good enough to win an Olympic medal. I will keep pushing myself no matter what.' 'Not everyone can win a World Championship gold medal, not just once, but twice. I'm still that Nikhat Zareen who has the hunger to achieve and make the country proud. I'm happy that I'm finally back in the national team, and the focus is now on just winning the medal,' she added.
News18
25-07-2025
- Sport
- News18
Lovlina Borgohain, Nikhat Zareen Return To Indian Team For World Championships
Last Updated: Nikhat Zareen and Lovlina Borgohain have been named in India's team for World Championships in Liverpool, September 4-14. Star boxer Nikhat Zareen and Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist Lovlina Borgohain were on Thursday named in India's team for the World Championships, scheduled to take place in Liverpool in September. The 20-member team was finalised after a week-long assessment at the National Institute of Sports in Patiala. The tournament, to be held from September 4 to 14, will be the first World Championships organised by the new governing body, World Boxing. It will feature competitions in 10 weight classes for men and women, marking the first time male and female boxers will compete in an Olympics-style event for the title of World Boxing Champion. Both Zareen and Borgohain missed the women's nationals in March. The former, a two-time world champion, was injured at the time, while Borgohain wasn't sent by the Assam state unit because of internal federation disputes. Nikhat and Lovlina returned to the national camp by competing in the Elite Women's Boxing Tournament in Hyderabad earlier this month. However, they missed the recent World Cup in Astana. The men's team includes Asian Games bronze medallist Narender Berwal (90+ kg) and two-time World Cup winners Hitesh Gulia (70kg) and Abhinash Jamwal (65kg), among others. Men's: Jadumani Singh Mandengbam (50kg), Pawan Bartwal (55kg), Sachin Siwach jr (60kg), Abhinash Jamwal (65kg), Hitesh Gulia (70kg), Sumit Kundu (75kg), Lakshya Chahar (80kg), Jugnoo Ahlawat (85kg), Harsh Chaudhary (90kg), Narender Berwal (90+ kg) (With PTI Inputs) view comments First Published: Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Hindustan Times
24-07-2025
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
Nikhat, Lovlina to spearhead Indian challenge at World Championships
New Delhi: Two-time world champion Nikhat Zareen and Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist Lovlina Borgohain will highlight India's 20-member squad for this year's senior boxing World Championships set to take place in Liverpool from September 4-14. The Worlds will feature all seven Olympic weight categories in men's and women's divisions along with three additional weights -- making it ten weight classes each for men and women -- as over 500 boxers from 60 nations are expected to vie for the world title. India's Zareen Nikhat will highlight India's 20-member squad for this year's senior boxing World Championships set to take place in Liverpool from September 4. (AFP) The squad was finalised on Thursday following week-long assessment at the National Institute of Sports (NIS), Patiala during which the boxers were tested for their skills, endurance, discipline, and resilience. 'The assessments were held in round-robin format with each boxer competing against 3-4 opponents. The process was quite exhaustive,' boxing interim committee chief Ajay Singh said on the sidelines of the felicitation organised for the 17 World Cup medallists from Brazil and Kazakhstan legs. Each gold medallist received a cash reward of ₹2 lakh, silver medallists ₹1 lakh, and bronze winners ₹50,000. BFI's interim committee has chosen to stick with the much-debated evaluation system from the previous Olympic cycle, meaning there were no trials for the team selection. The toppers in each weight division got an automatic berth for the Worlds. 'The boxers were primarily tested for their strength, conditioning, and endurance. Maximum points were reserved for sparring. There are also points for attendance, discipline, and weight management,' a member of interim committee informed. Nikhat had forfeited her final against Jyoti Gulia at the Elite Women's Boxing Tournament in Hyderabad earlier this month due to a cut above her nose but came back strongly in the assessment. Besides Nikhat and Lovlina, the bulk of the squad features medallists from the World Cup in Astana with Meenakshi Hooda (48kg), Sakshi (54kg), Jaismine Lamboria (57kg), Sanju Khatri (60kg), Pooja Rani (80kg), and Nupur Sheoran (80+ kg) all topping the assessments in their respective brackets and making the cut. The men's team wears a new look with the likes of double World Cup medallists Abhinash Jamwal (65kg) and Hitesh Gulia (70kg) qualifying. The lightweight division has been short of experience post Paris with both Amit Panghal and Deepak Bhoria out of the national camp. In their absence, the 20-year-old reigning national champion and Brazil World Cup bronze medallist, Jadumani Singh Mandengbam, topped the 50kg assessment and punched his ticket to Liverpool. Among heavier weights, Jugnoo Ahlawat topped the 85kg class while the experienced Narender Berwal aced the 90+ division. 'I have improved technically after the twin World Cup experience. I will try to be aggressive from the first round itself as judges always prefer dominant boxers. I hope to make an impression on my World Championships debut,' said Hitesh. Teams: Women's: Meenakshi Hooda (48kg), Nikhat Zareen (51kg), Sakshi (54kg), Jaismine Lamboria (57kg), Sanju Khatri (60kg), Neeraj Phogat (60kg), Sanamacha Chanu (70kg), Lovlina Borgohain (75kg), Pooja Rani (80kg), Nupur Sheoran (80+ kg) Men's: Jadumani Singh Mandengbam (50kg), Pawan Bartwal (55kg), Sachin Siwach jr (60kg), Abhinash Jamwal (65kg), Hitesh Gulia (70kg), Sumit Kundu (75kg), Lakshya Chahar (80kg), Jugnoo Ahlawat (85kg), Harsh Chaudhary (90kg), Narender Berwal (90+ kg). India-China to build boxing ties In a first-of-its-kind development, Indian boxers will train with their Chinese counterparts as the two nations seek to build boxing ties. A total of 42 junior girls and boys along with national coaches and physios will travel to China for 15 days next month in a move that the interim committee believes will upgrade the standards of Indian pugilists. 'We stand to gain a lot with this alliance. China are generally not open to foreigners training and sparring with them but they are impressed with the talent of our youngsters. We have been in talks for a few months and it has finally come to fruition,' a committee member said. Meanwhile, interim committee chief Singh assured the BFI elections will take place by the end of next month in accordance with World Boxing diktat. BFI elections were due in February-end but were delayed after a series of litigation. "The world body wants us to conduct elections by August 31, so we will tentatively hold the elections by Aug 27-28. We will start the process 21 days before that date, which means in the first week of August," he said.
