Nikhat Zareen achieves preliminary goal in Hisar, now sets sights on Boxing World Championship

Nikhat Zareen achieved her primary goal of winning the gold medal at the women’s national boxing championships held in Hisar, Haryana on Wednesday (October 27). The Hyderabad boxer defeated Haryana’s Minakshi 4-1 to win the national title at 52kg.

Nikhat Zareen, 25, rose from a minor dip in her career and was awarded the "Best Boxer" award. The focus now shifts to the boxing world championships scheduled to be held in Istanbul, Turkey in December.

It has been a tough year and a half for the former world junior champion. The on-and-off training due to the COVID-19 pandemic had started affecting her performance.

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Nikhat Zareen made a comeback in the Bosphorous tournament in Turkey in May, where she beat two world champions to win a bronze in 51kg. As things started settling for her, the second wave of the pandemic halted her preparations yet again.

The pugilist, who is sponsored by Welspun, shifted her training base to the Inspire Institute of Sports (IIS) to prepare for the nationals. She trained at IIS for three months which helped her return to form in time.

“I have worked really hard to get this result. I am delighted with my performance at the nationals,” she said.

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Nikhat Zareen to take week-long break before resuming training for Worlds

Nikhat Zareen will get a direct entry into the Indian squad for the women’s boxing world championships. However, instead of beginning training soon, she has decided to take a one-week break before starting the preparations for the big-ticket competition.

Meanwhile, the Railway Sports Promotion Board (RSPB) successfully defended their team championship title. Team RSPB concluded the event with 12 medals, including five gold, six silver, and one bronze. RSPB boxers won medals in every single weight category, making it a performance to remember.

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