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IMAGE: Nikhat Zareen will look to turn out to be solely the second Indian to win the title greater than as soon as. {Photograph}: BFI
Nikhat Zareen, Lovlina Borgohain, Nitu Ghanghas and Saweety Boora can be buoyed by the house assist as they struggle laborious to alter the color of their medals on the Ladies’s World Boxing Championships in New Delhi this weekend.
The 4 Indian boxers are assured of at the least a silver after they pulled off thrilling victories of their respective semifinal bouts on Thursday.
For Nikhat, it is an opportunity to turn out to be solely the second Indian to win the celebrated title greater than as soon as after the legendary MC Mary Kom, who has a file six titles to her identify.
Nikhat, who has moved all the way down to 50kg from 52kg after the latter was scrapped from the Paris Olympics, has given a superb account of herself within the gentle flyweight class.
The 26-year-old arguably had the toughest path to the ultimate amongst all Indian pugilists, having to struggle sturdy opponents throughout 5 bouts within the highly-contested Olympic class.
And standing between her and the second world title is one other fancied opponent — two-time Asian champion Nguyen Thi Tam of Vietnam.
A technically sound boxer, Nikhat has used her years of expertise within the ring and ways to tug off win after win regardless of getting little to no time for restoration. She fought three back-to-back bouts on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.
The event has been punishing on her physique. Nikhat confessed she was drained and fatigued within the third spherical of her quarterfinal bout however saved going. Nevertheless, she now has a much-needed two-day break for restoration forward of her closing on Sunday.
The highlight additionally returns on Lovlina, who has been capable of put behind the underwhelming 12 months. She would have breathed a sigh of reduction as she lastly broke the bronze medal jinx and certified for her maiden World’s closing.
The Assam boxer has two bronze medals from the 2018 and 2019 editions.
The Tokyo Olympic medallist, who can also be competing in a brand new weight class, shifting up from 69kg to the middleweight 75kg, has gotten higher with every bout.
She does not at all times have the peak benefit which she loved in 69kg, however has been ready to make use of her velocity to her profit. She is going to tackle Commonwealth Video games bronze medallist Australia’s Caitlin Parker within the closing on Sunday.
IMAGE: Nitu Ghanghas will look to bag gold. {Photograph}: BFI
The third boxer bidding to alter the shade of her medal is Nitu. The 2022 Strandja Memorial and CWG gold medallist has been unstoppable this event, notching three RSC wins earlier than edging out Kazakh Alua Balkibekova.
She has advanced as a boxer prior to now 12 months and is now capable of adapt her sport based on the opponent somewhat than simply counter-attacking from a distance. She reaped the good thing about this in her semifinal.
She would be the first Indian in motion as she faces Asian Championships bronze medallist Lutsaikhan Altantsetseg of Mongolia within the closing on Saturday.
The seasoned Saweety got here near successful the gold nearly a decade in the past in 2014 however could not cross the ultimate line. She can be eager so as to add a world title to her kitty this time.
The Haryana boxer has had the simplest path to the ultimate, combating simply two bouts. Her semifinal was a detailed affair, she gained by a cut up choice (4-3).
However within the summit conflict on Saturday, she must put her greatest foot ahead as she faces 2018 champion and 2019 bronze medallist Wang Lina of China.
The quartet has an opportunity to match India’s best-ever efficiency when it comes to gold medals. House boxers Mary Kom, Sarita Devi, Jenny RL and Lekha KC had clinched the gold in 2006.
The 2006 version stays India’s best-ever show, when the nation snared eight medals, together with 4 gold, one silver and three bronze.
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