“It felt like a dream turned into a nightmare in an instant” - Nishant Dev after making an exit from Paris Olympics 2024

Indian boxer Nishant Dev vented his frustration on Instagram after losing his quarter-final bout to Marco Verde from Mexico. He stated that all his hard work in the lead-up to the Paris Olympics 2024 was taken away in one cruel moment.

After hearing the scores from the judges, Dev felt as though everything was stripped away from him. He added that a sense of injustice left him with a heavy heart, and all of a sudden, his dream turned into a nightmare.

“Nobody truly knows how hard I worked, the countless hours I dedicated to manifesting this dream, and the honesty and truthfulness I poured into my training. Every day was a step toward this goal, every sacrifice a testament to my commitment. And in one cruel moment, it was all taken away from me,” he wrote on Instagram.

“In that moment, it felt like everything was ripped from me. The injustice of it all left me with a heavy heart and a flood of emotions. Anger, disappointment, and sadness intertwined, creating a storm within me. It felt like a dream turned into a nightmare in an instant.

"Hearing the judges’ scores, it felt as though there was nothing left in my body—The pain was so intense that I felt I just couldn’t take it,” he added.

Nishant Dev vows to comeback stronger and smarter

Nishant Dev viewed this moment not as the end but as the beginning of a new chapter in his journey. He wishes to train harder, fight smarter, and return with even greater determination.

“I may have missed out on a medal but I have gained a renewed sense of purpose. My journey doesn’t end here; it begins a new. I will train harder, fight smarter, and come back fiercer. This is not the end of my Olympic dream—it’s a chapter that will make my eventual triumph even more meaningful,” he wrote.

Nishant’s quarter-final opponent, Marco Verde, won the bout by a 4-1 split decision. Notably, he dominated the first round of the bout, with four judges ruling him the better boxer.

Despite putting up a tough fight in the second round, three judges ruled in Verde’s favor. Ultimately, the Mexican emerged on top with a 4-1 split decision.

Nishant Dev qualified for the Paris Olympics 2024 after registering a win over Vasile Cebotari from Moldova by 5-0 at the World Boxing Olympic Qualifiers in May 2024. At Paris 2024, Nishant secured a 3-2 win over Jose Rodriguez from Ecuador in a round of 16 to make the cut for quarters.

All Indian boxers are out of the Paris Olympics 2024 without a medal. Nikhat Zareen, Amit Panghal, and Preeti Pawar bowed out of their respective bouts in the Round of 16, while Jaismine Lamboria was eliminated from her Round of 32 bout. Lovlina Borgohain was the latest boxer to exit after her defeat to Li Qian in the quarterfinal.