Asian Games 2023 boxing: Nikhat Zareen assures medal, secures Paris 2024 Olympics quota for India

World champion Nikhat Zareen made it to the semi-finals of the women’s 50kg boxing event at the Asian Games 2023 in Hangzhou, the People’s Republic of China on Friday.

By virtue of making the top four, Nikhat Zareen not only assured herself a medal from Hangzhou but also secured a quota for the Paris 2024 Olympics.

However, as National Olympic Committees have the exclusive authority for the representation of their respective countries at the Olympic Games, athletes' participation at the Paris Games depends on their NOC selecting them to represent their delegation at Paris 2024.

Boxing at the Asian Games 2023 is also a Paris 2024 Olympics qualifier event. In men’s events, the gold and silver medallists in each of the seven Olympic weight divisions will be issued a quota to Paris 2024. In the women’s categories, four quotas will be on offer for all categories other than the 66kg and 75kg, for which there will be two berths on offer like men’s.

Nikhat Zareen, making her first appearance at the Asian Games, defeated Hanan Nassar of Jordan by RSC (referee stops count) in the quarter-finals in only 53 seconds.

“I watched the previous fight, and my strategy was to go out there with the right leading hand, and that what I did. I got the RSC in the first round," Nikhat said. "Hopefully I keep performing like this in my next matches and I win the gold medal and make my country proud."

The Indian boxer started strong with effective jabs and the referee soon issued a standing count to Hanan Nassar shortly after the start. The Jordanian was soon declared unfit to continue and Nikhat Zareen marched into the semi-finals, where she will face Thailand’s Chuthamat Raksat on Sunday.

In addition to Nikhat Zareen and Raksat, Wu Yu of China and Mongolia's Yesugen Oyuntsetseg also obtained Paris 2024 quotas in the 50kg category.

In other results on Friday, Asian champion Parveen Hooda won her round of 16 bout against China's Zichun Xu by unanimous decision. Hooda landed some effective punches on the counter and won the opening two rounds.

Zichun Xu put up a fight in the final round but Parveen Hooda was in total control and edged out her opponent. The Indian boxer will face Uzbekistan’s Sitora Turdibekova in the quarter-finals.

Lakshya Chahar, meanwhile, lost by a 4:1 split decision to Omurbek Bekzhigit Uulu of Kyrgyzstan in the men's 80kg round of 16.

On Thursday, Jaismine Lamboria defeated Hadeel Ashour of Saudi Arabia by RSC to progress to the quarter-finals of the women’s 60kg division. The Saudi Arabian boxer endured two standing counts in the second round before the bout was stopped.

Jaismine Lamboria will face the Democratic People's Republic of Korea’s Won Ungyong in the quarter-finals on Sunday.

Deepak Bhoria lost by a 4:1 split decision to former world champion Tomoya Tsuboi of Japan in his men’s 51kg round of 16 clash.

In the men’s 71kg, Nishant Dev knocked out Phuoc Tung Bui of Vietnam in under two minutes to head into the quarter-finals. Nishant will face Japan’s Sewon Okazawa in the quarter-finals on Saturday.

Olympic medallist Lovlina Borgohain will start her Asian Games 2023 boxing campaign on Saturday in the women’s 75kg quarter-finals. She will face Suyeon Seong of the Republic of Korea.