By Due to the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) refusal to recognize the International Boxing Association (IBA), Indian boxer Nikhat Zareen’s two World Championship titles in this Olympic cycle didn’t earn her a top seeding. Consequently, she remains unseeded for the Paris 2024 Olympics, leading to a challenging draw despite her impressive medal haul.
Zareen’s tough luck with draws continued from the 2023 World Championships and Asian Games. As India’s top boxing medal hope, she finds herself in a bracket with some of the best boxers in her category. To secure a medal, Zareen must navigate five highly competitive matches against formidable opponents, a familiar scenario for the 28-year-old in this Olympic cycle.
Nikhat Zareen’s Paris Olympics
Nikhat Zareen’s first challenge is against Germany’s Maxi Karina Kloetzer in the Round of 32, followed by a match against top-seeded Wu Yu of China, the 2023 World Championship gold medallist in the 52 kg category. A win here would pit her against either Thailand’s Chuthamat Raksat, who defeated her at the Asian Games, or Uzbekistan’s Sabina Bobokulova, who recently edged her out at the Strandja Memorial.
The challenging draws are not unique to Zareen. Amit Panghal, returning after three years, faces a tough bracket with favorites like Hsanboy Dusmatov and Saken Bibossinov in the Men’s 51kg category. Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist Lovlina Borgohain, seeded eighth, is set to meet Li Qian in the quarter-finals, a rematch of their encounters in Hangzhou and New Delhi.
Jaismine Lamboriya, competing in the 57kg category, will face Tokyo silver medallist Nesthy Petecio in her opening bout. Meanwhile, Asian Games bronze medallist Preeti Pawar will go up against Vietnam’s Vo Thi Kim Anh. The IOC’s handling of the seeding has placed top boxers from various countries in highly competitive brackets, making their path to Olympic glory significantly tougher.
