India is sending a 13-member strong boxing squad to the Asian Games 2023, spearheaded by two-time world champion Nikhat Zareen and Olympic bronze medalist Lovlina Borghain. The Games will be held in Hangzhou, China from September 23 to October 8. In the last edition, India had won only two medals — gold by Amit Panghal in the men’s 49 kg category, and bronze by Vikas Krishan in 75 kg. Interestingly, both of them are not part of the Asian Games squad this year.
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Also, Nitu Gangahas, who is the reigning world and CWG champion in the women’s 48 kg category has missed the bus to the Asian Games. In all, there will be seven competitors in the men’s category and six in the women’s.
Women’s team
India has fielded an overall strong team in the women’s section with a few stars in the ranks. Nikhat Zareen and Lovlina Borgohain are the biggest names in boxing, not just in India, but in the world. The duo had sealed the berths for the Asian Games 2023 by virtue of making it to the finals of the World Boxing Championships 2023.
The rest of the team was selected after an assessment by High-Performance Director Bernard Dunne and chief foreign coach Dmitry Dmitruk, during a national camp in Patiala.
The new selection process implemented by the Boxing Federation of India (BFI), which favours internal assessment in place of traditional selection trials, concluded on July 1. This time around there were no trials, and instead only a thorough assessment was done.
Squad
Nikhat Zareen (51kg), Preeti Pawar (54kg), Parveen Hooda (57kg), Jaismine Lamboria (60kg), Arundhati Choudhary (66kg), Lovlina Borgohain (75kg)
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Men’s team
On the other hand, the men’s team looks solid as well. There is Deepak Bhoria in the team, who won a bronze in 51 kg at the 2023 World Boxing Championships. Fellow bronze medalist Nishant Dev got the nod in the 71 kg category. Unfortunately, another Worlds medalist, Mohammad Hussamuddin, missed out due to an injury.
The team also consists of veteran Shiva Thapa in the 63 kg category, who was preferred over Abinash Jamwal. In the 80 kg category, Vikas Krishan missed out due to a bicep injury.
Squad
Deepak Bhoria (51kg), Sachin Siwach (57kg), Shiva Thapa (63.5kg), Nishant Dev (71kg), Lakshya Chahar (80kg), Sanjeet (92kg), Narender Berwal (+92kg)
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