Nikhat Zareen is a world champion: Gusty boxer punches previous disappointments and hurdles to glory

“Who is Nikhat Zareen?” Legendary Indian boxer Mary Kom had famously requested this query when the younger Telengana boxer demanded a trial for the Tokyo Olympics. Mary obtained an automated ticket to the world championships in 2019 and when she was given an identical path to the Tokyo Olympics, Nikhat, who competes in the identical weight class, contested it and fought for a trial.

Nikhat didn’t win the much-publicized trial, as Mary Kom outpunched the Telengana boxer in 2019 to ebook a ticket to the Tokyo Olympics.

But Nizkhat didn’t throw within the towel. In reality, she by no means has, in her life. The gutsy boxer from Telengana gained a Youth World Championships gold medal when she was simply 15. But competing in the identical flyweight class as Mary Kom wasn’t straightforward. Mary, a legend of the game, had dominated the burden class through the years, successful as many as 8 medals on this planet meets, together with 6 gold medals.

NIKHAT IS A WORLD CHAMPION

Nikhat Zareen gained all her bouts in Istanbul by unanimous resolution (PTI Photo)

Nikhat all the time needed to battle to emerge out of Mary’s shadows. She was in good type within the lead-up to the Tokyo Games, successful a gold medal on the prestigious Standja Boxing Memorial Tournament and gained a silver medal on the Asian Championships.

But Nikhat missed the bus to Tokyo. A yr later, Nikhat answered all of the questions.

Who is Nikhat Zareen? She is a world champion.

“Is my name trending on Twitter?” is the primary query Nikhat requested when she met the press on Thursday. Well, it did.

With Mary Kom opting out of the key occasions in 2022, together with the world championships, it was a possibility for Nikhat to stroll the discuss, lastly. And she did that in fashion.

Nikhat Zareen on Thursday, May 19 turned solely the fifth girl boxer from India to win a gold medal on the World Championships. More importantly, she is simply the 2nd Indian girl boxer after Mary Kom to win a world meet gold medal exterior India.

Nikhat was at her dominant greatest within the remaining towards Thailand’s Jutamas Jitpong 5-0. In reality, Nikhat gained every of her 4 bouts by unanimous selections, asserting her dominance within the weight class in Istanbul.

Nikhat has had a fantastic run in 2022. The 25-year-old turned the primary Indian boxer to win multiple gold medal on the Standja Boxing Memorial Tournament and carried the shape to Istanbul to bag the world title.

PROVING NAYSAYERS WRONG

Nikhat Zareen started her boxing profession by proving naysayers flawed (Photo Coutesy: Instagram)

Proving naysayers flawed is nothing new for Nikhat Zareen. When folks in her city had instructed her “Boxing Mardo Ka Game”, Nikhat did not consider it. Instead, she set out on a journey to quash misconceptions.

“Once I went to a stadium, I saw Urban Games were going on. I saw girls in every sport except boxing. Then I was curious to know why there were no girls in boxing. I asked my father ‘papa, sab game mein ladkiyon hai but boxing mein kyu nahi hai? Bas mardo ka game hai kya?’.

“He stated ‘no beta, women also can field, however folks assume women haven’t got guts to field’.

“I belong to a place where very few people allow their daughters to achieve their dreams in sport. I took those words as a challenge, then I decided to take up boxing.

“I instructed my father ‘papa, mein boxing karoongi. I needed to indicate folks round me that boxing ladkiyan bhi kar sakthi hai’,” Nikhat told indiatoday.in in March.

‘WILL DO MY FATHER PROUD’

Nikhat, who has set her sights on Paris 2024, is always grateful for the support she had received from her father, Mohammad Jameel Ahmed. Winning an Olympic medal is the biggest gift that she can give her dotting ‘papa’.

“Every lady deserves a father like mine,” she stated.

“At the start, it was challenging for me and my father because people around us were saying all sorts of stuff. But my father never listened to all that. He supported me in my journey. That’s why I have always been saying that I am lucky to have such a father.

“One day, I’ll make him proud by successful an Olympic medal.”

The concentration is going to now be on Nikhat Zareern. With Mary taking a backseat, the nation’s hopes shall be pinned on Nikhat. But the younger pugilist, who had hung out ready within the wings for lengthy, will solely cherish the eye and use it to strengthen her journey in the direction of the Paris goals.