Amit Panghal, the only Indian boxer to win a gold medal at the 2018 Asian Games will not be defending his title at the 2023 Games in Hangzhou following the selection of World bronze medallist Deepak Bhoria in the men’s 51kg category to the Indian squad for the Continental Games.
Following the conclusion of the selection process on July 1 it is learned that, Bhoria, as well as Nishant Dev, who like him, also won a bronze medal at the 2023 World Championships at Tashkent, were included in the 13-member squad (seven men and six women) who will take part in the continental games which will also serve as the first stage of the qualification process for the Paris Olympics.
Mohammad Husamuddin, who also won a bronze medal at the World Championships at Tashkent, however, missed out the selections for the Asian Games. Husamuddin injured himself during his quarterfinal bout at the World Championships and failed to take part in the semifinals. Following his injury, Sachin Siwach, who boxed impressively in the 54kg at the World Championships before losing in the pre-quarterfinals to the eventual champion Makhmud Sabyrkhan of Kazakhstan, will be representing India in the 57kg category at Hangzhou.
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Bhoria’s selection can be seen as a sign of confidence that the India’s coaches and selectors have placed in him. Although he had won a bronze medal at Tashkent, he did not earn a direct qualification to the Asian Games since, according to selection guidelines laid out by the Boxing Federation of India, only finalists were chosen automatically. Bhoria was competing for a place against Panghal, a former world silver medalist, as well as the defending Asian and Commonwealth Games champion.
However, Bhoria was picked, following an evaluation process at the national camp, which replaced the earlier system of selection trials. The boxers will be evaluated based on six parameters, including their performance in training, willingness to learn, continuous improvement and assessment of technique and skill. Following the evaluation process, the team was picked by a selection committee composed of the BFI secretary general, High-performance director and chief coach.
Apart from Husamuddin, two other boxers who represented India at the World Championships will not be going to Hangzhou. Tokyo Olympian Ashish Choudhary was replaced by Lakshya Chahar in the 80kg category, while in the 92 category two-time World quarterfinalist Sanjeet replaces Naveen Kumar.
There were a few surprises in the women’s contingent that will be competing at Hangzhou. Two-time World Champion Nikhat Zareen (50kg) and Olympic bronze medallist Lovlina Borgohain (75kg) made the squad by virtue of winning gold at the 2023 World Championships in Delhi. Parveen Hooda, bronze medallist in the 63kg category at the 2022 World Championships, also made the squad albeit in the women’s 57kg category beating out fellow world bronze medallist Manisha Moun. Arundhati Choudhary, who had once gone to court demanding trials for the 2022 World championships, has also made the squad in the women’s 66kg category.
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