50 days to Paris 2024: Nikhat Zareen Recounts Her Boxing Journey from Fighting for a Trial to Becoming a World Champion

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Ace Indian boxer, Nikhat Zareen, recently opened up about her incredible journey in an interview with Dinesh Karthik on JioCinema's 'Get Set Gold.' Zareen's story is one of resilience, determination, and an unyielding spirit that saw her rise from controversy to becoming a celebrated world champion.

A gold medallist at the 2022 Commonwealth Games and 2023 World Championships, Zareen, recounted the significant hurdle she faced in 2019 when she was denied a trial for the 51kg division for the World Championships, despite assurances that trials would be held across all weight categories.

This episode was a pivotal moment in her career, marked by confusion and emotional distress. "They were supposed to have trials for all the weight categories in the (2019) World Championships," Zareen shared.

"One day before, I even messaged in the group, 'If I have a bout tomorrow, can you tell me if I have to give my weight tomorrow?' but, no one replied. I slept hungry that night, as early in the morning, I had to get up and lose weight. When I went to give my weight, the selection committee came and told me that there was no bout for 51kg."

Raising Her Voice and Making a Stand

The decision to exclude her from the trials left Zareen feeling disheartened and emotional. However, instead of accepting the decision, she chose to fight for her right to compete. She raised her concerns publicly, leveraging social media and even writing a letter to the sports minister to ensure her voice was heard.

"I felt hurt, sad, and disheartened. I was very emotional at that time. Then, I raised my voice about why the trial didn't happen only for this weight category," the Hyderabad-based pugilist explained.

"I had to go through social media. I also wrote a letter to the sports minister. Finally, the trial happened. More than winning, I was happy that the trial was finally happening. In the end, I lost that bout, but as I always say, for me, it's not about winning and losing, it's about learning."
Eyes Set on Paris 2024

Despite the setback, Zareen's career continued to ascend. She focused on future goals, particularly the upcoming Paris 2024 Olympics, where she is set to make her debut. Her participation in the Olympics is a dream come true and a testament to her perseverance and hard work.

"This is my first Olympics. Of course, I'm very excited about the Olympics, and there will be a lot of expectations from me. But I'll take that expectation as a motivation, and I'll push myself inside the ring. This expectation is not a burden, I've always dreamt of representing India at the Olympics and I'll take that as a blessing," Zareen said with optimism.

Nikhat Zareen Boxing Career & Achievements

Zareen's journey from battling for a trial to becoming a world champion is nothing short of inspirational. She has carved out an illustrious sporting career, winning multiple titles across different weight divisions.

She clinched two World Championship Golds, one in the Flyweight category in 2022 and another in the Light Flyweight division in 2023. Her impressive career graph includes a Gold medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games and a Bronze at the 2022 Asian Games, cementing her legacy as one of India's most formidable boxers.

Among the six Indian boxers who have secured qualification for Paris 2024, Zareen stands out not just for her achievements but also for her unyielding spirit and dedication to the sport. Her story serves as an inspiration to many aspiring athletes, proving that with determination and perseverance, one can overcome even the most daunting obstacles.