Hyderabad (Telangana) : Fresh from her win at the Women’s Boxing World Championship, gold medallist Nikhat Zareen on Saturday was given a rousing welcome by Sports Authority of India officials and fans at the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Hyderabad.
Last week, Nikhat Zareen claimed her second World Boxing Championship gold and retained the title, becoming only the second Indian female athlete to have two World Championship gold medals to her name. The illustrious pugilist capped off an outstanding campaign at the IBA Women’s World Boxing Championship with a stunning victory in the finals at the Indira Gandhi Sports Complex.
State Sports Minister V Srinivas Goud, SAT’s chairman E Anjaneya Goud with other officials received the boxer at the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport and posed with the champion.
“It was a new experience playing in a new weight category which is also an Olympic category. I feel very happy on winning this medal in the home ground,” Nikhat Zareen said.
Living up to her name, the tenacious Nikhat (50kg) displayed class in her rampant display against the two-time Asian champion Nguyen Thi Tam of Vietnam and secured a thumping 5-0 win. The reigning World Champion asserted her dominance in the bout from the word go by landing accurate punches and using her quick feet to dodge the Vietnamese’s attacks.
With this victory, Nikhat became only the second Indian female pugilist to win two golds at the World Championships alongside the boxing legend Mary Kom who claimed a record six gold medals in the competition.
India capped off an outstanding campaign by finishing with the highest gold medals (four) at the IBA Women’s World Boxing Championship after Nikhat Zareen, Lovlina Borgohain, Nitu Ghanghas and Saweety Boora won their final match.
