Asian Games 2023: Boxer Nikhat Zareen assures India of medal; secures 2024 Paris Olympics quota

Boxer Nikhat Zareen (50 kg) assured India of medal at Asian Games 2023 in Hangzhou, China, on Friday and secured 2024 Paris Olympics quota

Nikhat Zareen, a two-time world champion boxer, clinched a coveted spot at the 2024 Paris Olympics and secured herself a medal opportunity as she breezed through to the 50kg semifinals at the Asian Games 2023 in Hangzhou, China, on Friday. In her third bout of the tournament, Nikhat impressively secured a victory over Nassar Hanan from Jordan in less than three minutes, with the referee stopping the contest (RSC).

The reigning Commonwealth Games champion asserted her dominance early in the bout with a sharp jab, maintaining control with a series of precise combination punches. Her performance was so commanding that the referee had no choice but to issue three standing counts to the Jordanian boxer before ultimately calling off the contest.

Meanwhile, Parveen, a World Championship bronze medalist, showcased her prowess by defeating the local favorite, Zichun Xu, with a convincing 5-0 victory, advancing to the quarterfinals.

However, Lakshya Chahar faced disappointment as he exited the competition in the first round, succumbing to a 1-4 defeat at the hands of Kyrgyzstan's Omurbek Bekzhigit Uulu in the 80kg Round of 16 bout.

In the women's events, semifinalists in the 50kg, 54kg, 57kg, and 60kg weight categories, along with the finalists in the 66kg and 75kg, will secure qualification for the Paris Olympics. For the men, Olympic quotas will be granted to the gold and silver medalists in each of the seven weight divisions.