Nikhat Zareen opens up on Olympics heartbreak: Boxers I had defeated won medals

Boxer Nikhat Zareen revealed that she was gutted to not win a medal at the Paris Olympics 2024. Nikhat said that it really hurt her when she watched other boxers, who she had defeated in the past, win a medal.

In Short

• Nikhat Zareen is still upset over Olympic setback
• Nikha lost to top seed Wu Yu in Paris
• Nikhat is currently seeking personal coach for future training

India boxer Nikhat Zareen expressed her disappointment following a medal-less Olympic campaign, revealing that it hurt to see boxers she had previously defeated go on to win medals. She acknowledged that it simply wasn't her day, but remains determined to return stronger, actively seeking a personal coach to aid in her training.

Nikhat, a strong medal contender, exited the 50kg women's boxing competition after a unanimous decision loss to top seed and reigning Asian Games champion Wu Yu of China in the preliminary rounds. Making her Olympic debut, she was the first of six Indian boxers to qualify for the Games.

"Nobody is perfect. It was not my day. I was unseeded and had to face a very good boxer in the early rounds. What really hurts was that boxers who I had already defeated (in past competitions) won medals; that was heartbreaking," she told PTI Videos.

"But we have to accept the reality and keep going. I don't want to plan anything and want to go with the flow. I didn't have a personal coach," she added.

A two-time world champion, Nikhat is now on the lookout for a personal coach. "I want a personal coach to train with. I was training at the Inspire Institute for a while. I am trying to find a good coach who can help me become a better boxer. Once I find someone, I will let you know," she said.

She also expressed a desire to train abroad, stating, "Change is always good. Internationally, I get better practice opportunities as those boxers push me to come out of my comfort zone. I will also try to train with different styles of boxers; one needs to have the quality to fight various styles on any day."

When asked about areas for improvement, Nikhat emphasised her goal to "improve on my strength."

The future of boxing in the Olympics is uncertain due to the International Boxing Association's suspension over governance and financial mismanagement issues. India has distanced itself from the IBA to join World Boxing, which is backed by the International Olympic Committee. Nikhat is awaiting news on potential changes in weight categories from World Boxing, noting, "...they might change weight categories. If there is a 52kg category, I will be the happiest because that is my most comfortable weight," she said.