Sakshi Chaudhary secured her spot in the Indian team for the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and the Asian Games in Japan by beating two-time world champion Nikhat Zareen in the national boxing trials. She triumphed over Meenakshi Hooda, the reigning world and Asian champion in the 48kg division, in the final at NIS Patiala.
The winner of the final trials will earn quotas for the Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games, while the runner-up will represent India at the World Boxing Cup in Guiyang, China. Sakshi’s decision to drop down to the 51kg category proved successful as she emerged victorious in the trials.
In a surprising turn of events, Nikhat Zareen and Nitu Ghanghas, former top stars in the 51kg category, were eliminated from contention. Nikhat had to participate in the trials after failing to secure a direct entry during the Asian Championships in Mongolia. Meanwhile, other boxers like Sachin Siwach, Preeti Pawar, and Priya Ghanghas also qualified for the upcoming multi-sport events.
Jaismine Lamboria and Arundhati Choudhary earned qualification for the Commonwealth Games only, as their weight categories are not included in the Asian Games programme. The Commonwealth Games are scheduled to take place in Glasgow from July 23 to August 2, followed by the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, from September 19 to October 4.
