Nikhat Zareen, Lovlina Borgohain to train in Germany ahead of Paris 2024 Olympics

Five of the six Paris 2024 Olympics-bound Indian boxers will head to the Olympic Centre in Saarbrucken, Germany for a month-long training camp starting from June 28 as part of their final preparations ahead of the upcoming Summer Games.

Two-time world champion Nikhat Zareen (women’s 50kg), Tokyo 2020 bronze medallist Lovlina Borgohain (women’s 75kg), World Championships bronze medallist Nishant Dev (men’s 71Kg), Preeti Pawar (women’s 54kg) and Jaismine Lamboria (women’s 57kg) will be the boxers travelling to Germany.

Commonwealth Games champion Amit Panghal (men’s 51kg) will, however, continue to train at the Sports Authority of India’s Shilaroo centre with his coaches and support staff from the national camp. He will join the rest of the team in France later.

The Saarbrucken-bound five will be training in Germany until July 22 before heading to the French capital for the Summer Games.

They will train alongside the national squads of Ireland, USA, Mongolia, Germany and Denmark among others.

“The training camp in Saarbrucken will not just provide the Indian contingent an opportunity to spar with quality boxers from different countries, it will also help them acclimatise well before the Games as the weather conditions in Germany are similar to the ones they will encounter in Paris,” said Hemanta Kumar Kalita, Secretary General, Boxing Federation of India (BFI).

India have won three bronze medals so far at the Olympics with Vijender Singh opening the nation’s account in 2008 and the legendary Mary Kom adding to that list in 2012. Lovelina medalled at Tokyo 2020.

At Paris, Lovlina will be attempting to become only the third Indian and second woman from the country to win back-to-back Olympic medals.