Lovlina Borgohain lost to Chinese boxer and the no. 1 seed, Li Qian 1-4. Nikhat Zareen was humiliated by Chinese Wu Yu 0-5, Amit Panghal succumbed to Zambian Patrick Chinyemba 1-4, Nishant Dev was defeated 1-4 by Marco Verde, while Preeti Pawar lost 2-3 to Colombia’s Marcela Aria. And that marked India’s no show in boxing at Paris Olympics 2024.
Nikhat Zareen & Lovlina Borgohain Fail at Paris Olympics
It is not that India is a powerhouse in boxing, but we do get our share of medals at the World Championships, Asian Games, Commonwealth Games, and the Olympics. But this time around in Olympics, it has been nothing short of a heartbreak for the Indian fans. And after this performance, one only wonders what really went wrong for us? Was it the technique, or mindset or just the physical aspect, that was behind our pugilists’ ouster?
Bhargava Bhatt, the former India women’s boxing coach, who was with the team till 2023, believes that the boxers were almost there but it was the physical fitness that perhaps wasn’t up to the mark. Speaking with InsideSport exclusively, he also pointed out, that the way to rectify these problems could be going in for Indian coaches only, at least for the top players.
“I did see all the matches closely, and I can say all of them were close matches. The score line can suggest otherwise, but that’s not how I see it. Look at Amit, there was no reason for him to lose against the boxer he had beaten 5-0 at the 2022 CWG. He looked rusty. Nishant Dev looked tired by the time the third round came. Nikhat looked in peak condition for the first two rounds, but the Chinese went forward in third. Similarly, in Lovlina’s case, the Chinese inched ahead in the last round as well.
“So, I can say from outside, that their technique and mental aspect is superb, but probably it was the fitness that cost them the matches. Look at Lovlina, she did not win any medal at the CWG, and from there she bounced back. That only shows, our boxers are good enough,” Bhatt said.
Bhargava Bhatt Calls for Indian Coaches
But how do we go on to ensure that none of these issues come up at the next Olympics? It is simple as per Bhargava. “Boxers are doing fine, but we should not focus on Indian coaches for our players. These foreign coaches are all good, nothing against them, but the Indian coaches are better equipped to handle them. Outside coaches might not understand the player, and might implement something that they are not used to. So, why take such chances. Instead, if you want to invest in foreigners, then it must be for juniors, where they can be nurtured. As for next Olympics, we can only hope, we can produce more than one medal,” he concluded.
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