Carrying a world champion’s tag, having a sleepless night and surviving on an empty stomach for two days, Nikhat Zareen checked her emotions long enough before breaking down after getting a consoling hug from a sympathiser. She had just lost to a tough opponent — Asian Games champion, China’s Wu Yu — in the women’s 50kg pre-quarterfinals at the North Paris Arena here on Thursday, which ended her journey at the Paris Olympics.
Nikhat approached the Olympics knowing that she was a medal contender. She had prepared systematically, overcome minor injuries and shown consistency coming into the quadrennial event. But it was never easy running into the top-seeded boxer in the second round.
Before Nikhat could realise it, 52-kg world champion Wu, faster on her feet and with quick hands, gained ground. The Chinese executed her well-rehearsed plan as she moved swiftly, landed some clean punches and moved out of Nikhat’s grasp to take the opening round 4-1.
The unseeded Indian upped the ante to connect a few hooks to impress the judges, even though the Chinese led 2-0 in the second round.
Better bout management by Wu in the final three minutes, during which she used her fine footwork to defend herself and deny Nikhat a chance to come back, left the Indian helpless.
“Sorry guys. It was a learning experience for me. I had not boxed with her (Wu) before. She was faster. I will analyse this once I am home. I was unseeded and played an extra match. It was an intense bout. My last fight was tough, but she was playing her first. It also impacts.
“I had worked hard and prepared myself physically and mentally for the Olympics. I will come back stronger,” said Nikhat.
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As the International Olympic Committee (IOC) had suspended the International Boxing Association (IBA) and did not recognise its events, Nikhat’s world champion status did not fetch her any seeding. Had Nikhat earned a spot in the final (like Lovlina Borgohain, the only seeded Indian) of the Asian Games (the continental event recognised by the IOC), she would have had a chance to receive a seeding.
Besides the lack of seeding, avoiding food to cut weight affected Nikhat. “I had not eaten anything in the last two days to cut my weight. I had not recovered well after the first bout. I did not sleep well as I was feeling hungry. Had I won, the effort would have been appreciated. But now it will look like an excuse. Nevertheless, I gave my best.”
Nikhat, once seen as a challenger to Mary Kom and painted as a rebel by some, has overcome tough days to take the spot vacated by Mary and become a world champion. She won the championship first in 2022 in the 52kg category and then again in 2023 in the 50kg category. She is not the one to give up.
“My life has been tough. I know it’s going to be tough, but God puts those through tough tests who are strong. I am a tiger; (coach) Pranamika (Bora) ma’am calls me ‘Tiger’. Today she was running with me and could understand how it felt (to train on an empty stomach),” said Nikhat.
The uncertainty over boxing’s place in the Los Angeles Olympics is something that is not in Nikhat’s control, and the 28-year-old does not know whether her dream of winning a medal in the Olympics will be fulfilled.
For now, she badly needs a break. “I have not been home since 2022. I have missed my nephew and niece growing up. I need a break; maybe I will go on a solo vacation. It’s much needed,” said Nikhat, signing off with a lot of emotions from Paris 2024.
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