Boxer Nikhat Zareen refused to compete in the 48kg category at the World Cup in China, prioritizing her long-term goals in the 51kg division for Olympic qualifications and the World Championships. This decision led to a selection trial for the 48kg spot.
Two-time world champion Nikhat Zareen lost 1-4 to Sakshi Chaudhary in the women's 51kg semifinal at India's boxing selection trials for the CWG and Asian Games, citing a 'torturous' two-week build-up due to administrative issues between BFI and SAI.
Two-time world champion Nikhat Zareen lost 1-4 to Sakshi Chaudhary in the semifinals of boxing selection trials for the CWG and Asian Games, citing a "torturous" two-week build-up due to administrative issues between BFI and SAI.
Indian boxer Nikhat Zareen describes the last two weeks as 'torture' due to the dispute between the Boxing Federation of India (BFI) and the Sports Authority of India (SAI) over selection processes for the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games, leading to repeated changes in schedules and a shift from assessment-based to trial-based selection.
Two-time world champion Nikhat Zareen failed to secure a spot in the 2026 Commonwealth Games and Asian Games after a surprise 1-4 loss to Sakshi Chaudhary in the 51kg category semifinals of India's national boxing trials.
India's women's boxing team delivered its best performance since 2019 at the Asian Championships, securing 16 medals including a record number of gold in Olympic weight divisions. Head coach Santiago Nieva praised the consistency between training and competition, while acknowledging areas for improvement ahead of the CWG and Asian Games. The coach expressed confidence in seasoned boxers Nikhat Zareen and Lovlina Borgohain despite their early exits, noting Zareen's potential to defeat Olympic champion Wu Yu. Young talent Priya Ghanghas emerged as a standout, winning gold in the 60kg Olympic category.
