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World Boxing Championship: India recreates history, bags four gold medals

Indian women athletes make India proud in IBA World Boxing Championship and bagged four gold medals, Saweety Boora, Nitu Ghanghas, Nikhat Zareen, and Lovlina Borgohain won medals

India's Zareen Nikhat and Mozambique's Helena Ismael Bagao in action during their round of 16 fight (Photo: Reuters)

Women's World Boxing Championship 2023

Sudeep Singh Rawat

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The International Boxing Association (IBA) organised the 13th edition of the Women's Boxing Championship 2023, which took place between March 15 and March 26. India emerged as the most dominant force in the World Boxing Championship held in New Delhi.

India bagged four gold medals, the highest in the World Boxing Championship. Indian women Saweety Boora, Nitu Ghanghas, Nikhat Zareen, and Lovlina Borgohain took home four gold medals in different weight categories.

Nikhat Zareen creates history

Nikhat Zareen became the first Indian woman after Mary Kom to win two gold medals in World Boxing Championship. She defeated Vietnam's Nguyen Thi Tham in the 50 kg final of the IBA World Boxing Championship.
 

Jubilant about her victory, she said, "I am extremely delighted to become World Champion for the second time, especially in a different category."

She added, "Today’s bout was my toughest in the entire tournament and since this was the last match of the tournament I wanted to utilise my energy completely and leave everything in the ring. It was a roller-coaster of a bout with both of us getting warnings as well as eight counts and it was very close."

India clinch four golds under different weight categories

Indian women made India proud after their historical performances in the World Boxing Championship. Nitu Ghanghas, 22, won a medal in the 48 kg category, and then veteran Saweety Boora took the gold in the 81 kg category. Thereafter, Lovlina Borgohain bagged her gold medal 75 kg category, making not only India but the Northeast region proud. And then, world-class Indian boxer, Nikhat Zareen won her second gold medal in the World Boxing Championship in the 50 kg category.

PM Modi congratulated the winners for recreating history. In 2006, Mary Kom, Sarita Devi, Jenny Lalremliani and Lekha K C had won the gold for the country. 

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First Published: Mar 28 2023 | 1:33 PM IST

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