Indian boxers Nikhat Zareen and Lovlina Borgohain have been dealt tough draws in their respective weight categories for the upcoming Paris Olympics 2024.
Nikhat, the reigning world champion in the women’s 50kg category, will face Germany’s Maxi Carina Kloetzer in the round of 32, with a potential clash against China’s top-seeded Wu Yu looming in the round of 16.
Meanwhile, Lovlina, who secured a bronze medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, will begin her campaign in the women’s 75kg against Norway’s Sunniva Hofstad, with a challenging potential matchup against two-time Olympic medallist Li Qian in the quarter-finals.
The boxing events of Olympic 2024 are set to commence on July 27 at the Arena Paris Nord, and both athletes will need to navigate a series of formidable opponents to achieve their Olympic dreams.
Nikhat Zareen’s Challenging Path at Olympic 2024
Nikhat Zareen, the reigning world champion in the women’s 50kg category, will begin her campaign against Germany’s Maxi Carina Kloetzer in the round of 32.
If she advances, she is likely to encounter China’s Wu Yu in the round of 16. Wu Yu is not only the top seed in this category but also the reigning Asian Games champion and the world champion in the women’s 52kg division.
This potential matchup is significant, as both boxers are highly decorated in their respective weight classes.
If Nikhat overcame Wu Yu, her quarter-final opponents could include Thailand’s Chuthamat Raksat or Uzbekistan’s Sabina Bobokulova.
Nikhat has previously faced both opponents, losing to Bobokulova in the Strandja Memorial final earlier this year and to Raksat in the semi-finals of the Asian Games last year.
Paris Olympics 2024: Lovlina Borgohain’s Tough Road
Lovlina Borgohain, who secured a bronze medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, will start her journey in the women’s 75kg against Norway’s Sunniva Hofstad.
If she progresses, a likely second-round clash with China’s Li Qian awaits. Li Qian is a two-time Olympic medallist and defeated Lovlina in the Asian Games final, adding extra pressure to this potential rematch.
Other Indian Boxers’ Matches Olympics 2024
In the women’s 57kg category, Jaismine Lamboria faces a daunting task against the Philippines’ Nesthy Petecio, a silver medallist from the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. If Jaismine wins, she will meet the third-seeded Amina Zidani of France, the reigning European champion.
Asian Games bronze medallist Preeti Pawar will begin her campaign against Vietnam’s Vo Thi Kim Anh in the round of 32. If successful, she may face Colombia’s Yeni Arias, a World Championship silver medallist, in the subsequent round.
Paris Olympics 2024: Men’s Boxing Draws
On the men’s side, Amit Panghal and Nishant Dev will kick off their campaigns in the round of 16 after receiving first-round byes.
Amit is set to face Zambia’s Patrick Chinyemba, who has a strong background, having won a bronze medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games.
Nishant Dev will compete against Ecuador’s Jose Rodriguez Tenorio, with a potential quarter-final matchup against Mexico’s Marco Verde if he advances.
