Two-time World Championship medallist Nikhat Zareen will not participate in the upcoming Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and the Asian Games in Japan this year. She missed out on qualifying for these events after losing to Sakshi Chaudhary in the women’s 51 kg semifinals during the national trials in Patiala. This defeat means Nikhat will not be part of the Indian squads for the international competitions.
The 29-year-old boxer from Telangana, who has previously won gold in the Commonwealth Games and bronze in the Asian Games, faced a setback due to her recent poor form. Nikhat’s 1-4 loss to Sakshi in the semifinals dashed her hopes of securing a direct berth to the Asian Games. Another top star, Nitu Ghanghas, also failed to qualify, losing to Meenakshi in the trials.
Nikhat Zareen, who clinched her second World Championship gold in 2023, had to participate in the trials after missing out on direct entry during the Asian Championships in Mongolia. Despite reaching the semifinals in Mongolia, she lost to China’s Wu Yu, the reigning Olympic gold medallist. Only finalists in the Asian Championships earned automatic qualification for the Asian Games.
The 51kg category will see a new representative from India as Nikhat Zareen and Nitu Ghanghas both fell short in the qualifying trials. Sachin Siwach, Preeti Pawar, and Priya Ghanghas secured their spots in the Asian Games through the Asian Championships.
