India's star boxers Nikhat Zareen and Lovlina Borgohain have been handed tough draws in their respective weight categories at the Paris Olympics 2024. Nikhat will face Germany’s Maxi Carina Kloetzer in the round of 32 of the women’s 50kg event. If she makes it to the next round, she will come up against the reigning Asian Games champion Wu Yu of China.
Interestingly, Nikhat is the two-time and reigning world champion in the 50kg category while Wu Yu, the top-seeded boxer in the same event at the Paris Games, is the reigning world champion in the 52kg event. The draw continues to get tougher for the 28-year-old as she could face Thailand’s Chuthamat Raksat or Uzbekistan’s Sabina Bobokulova in the quarterfinals.
Nikhat lost to both the boxers before going down to Bobokulova in the Strandja Memorial final in February this year and Chuthamat Raksat also beat her in the semi-final of the Asian Games in 2023.
As far as Lovlina Borgohain is concerned, she will start her campaign in the women's 75kg category in the round of 16 against Sunniva Hofstad of Norway. If she qualifies for the quarterfinals, Lovlina will face two-time Olympic medallist and Asian Games gold medallist Li Qian of China. Qain had defeated Borgohain in the final of the Asian Games in Hangzhou.
Another boxer Jaismine Lamboria has been drawn against Tokyo Olympics silver medallist Nesthy Petecio of the Philippines in the women's 57kg event. Meanwhile, Preet Pawar, who won the bronze medal at Asian Games last year is set to face Vietnam’s Vo Thi Kim Anh in the round of 32.
Among men, Amit Panghal and Nishant Dev have got byes in their opening round and will directly compete in the round of 16 in men's 51kg and 71 kg events respectively. Amit will face Zambia's Patrick Chinyemba who won the bronze medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games while Nishant will be up against Jose Rodriguez Tenorio of Ecuador.
Paris Olympics 2024 Boxing Draws for India:
Women 50kg: Nikhat Zareen vs Maxi Carina Kloetzer (GER) - Round of 32
Women’s 54kg: Preeti Pawar vs Vo Thi Kim Anh (VIE) - Round of 32
Women’s 57kg: Jaismine Lamboria vs Nesthy Petecio (PHI) - Round of 32
Women’s 75kg: Lovlina Borgohain vs Sunniva Hofstad (NOR) - Round of 16
Men’s 51kg: Amit Panghal vs Patrick Chinyemba (ZAM) - Round of 16
Men’s 71kg: Nishant Dev vs Jose Rodriguez Tenorio (ECU) - Round of 16
