CWG 2022: Nikhat Zareen, Amit Panghal and Nitu Ghanghas lead gold rush in boxing

08.08.2022 - 06:41 timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Right after dominating Northern Ireland's Carly McNaul in the 50kg women's light flyweight final for a 5-0 unanimous verdict in her favour, Nikhat said, "Women's boxing is growing in India since Mary didi (Mary Kom) won a medal at the Olympics (London 2012).

She has been a great inspiration for every boxer in India. I have always looked up to her and she has inspired me in so many ways.

I want to enjoy this gold medal now, but Mary didi has set the path for all of us to follow." Nikhat's effusive praise of Mary Kom was a far cry from late 2019, when Nikhat was embroiled in a battle with the senior, more lauded boxer, both inside and outside the ring.

There was clearly some bad blood between the two but Nikhat, the world champion, has buried those skeletons. It has been a fresh start for her in this new Olympic cycle.

Boxing cycling skeleton Mary Kom Ireland India

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Narendra Modi lauded ace badminton player PV Sindhu as phenomenal and champion of champions on Monday after she won the gold medal in the singles at the Commonwealth Games event. Sindhu added a Commonwealth singles gold to her wide array of medals with a convincing straight-game win over Canada's Michelle Li in the final in Birmingham on Monday.

Daddy's Daughter: Father Jai Bhagwan Takes Unpaid Leave To Fuel Nitu's Boxing Dreams

Moments after winning a maiden gold at the Commonwealth Games, young Indian boxer Nitu Ghanghas dedicated the trophy to her dotting father Jai Bhagwan, who didn't leave any stone unturned to fuel his daughter's dream. An employee at the Haryana secretariat, Bhagwan has been on unpaid leave for the last three years to train Nitu, a two-time World Youth champion. On Sunday, all the sacrifices seemed worth it as Nitu stood on the podium when the gold medal around her neck.

Exclusive: 'Maa, mere liye churma bana dena' - CWG 2022 champion Nitu Ghanghas on being inspired by Mary Kom and what she plans to do next

maa, mere liye churma bana dena jab mei aungi' (Mom, please make churma for me when I return). She was holding up the medal to show her family, who couldn't take their eyes off the shiny metal that is a testament to their daughter's accomplishment. Nitu, who hails from India's 'mini Cuba' - Bhiwani, upstaged 2019 world championships bronze medallist Demie-Jade Resztan of England by a 5-0 unanimous verdict in the 48kg category gold medal match to claim the top honours. "I had to lose weight to enter this category. I am so happy that my sacrifices and hard work have paid off. All I want now is to go home and eat churma made by my mother," Nitu told TimesofIndia.com in an exclusive video chat from Birmingham.

CWG 2022: India ups the ante with medal rush on Day 10

So far, Indian athletes have won 55 medals-- 18 golds, 15 silvers and 22 bronze-- at the CWG. The Boxing gold rush for India on day 10 began with Nitu Ghanghas beating the host country's Demie-Jade Rezstan 5-0 in a unanimous points decision to win gold in the women's 48kg (Minimumweight) category, India's 14th of the campaign. In the men's 48kg-51kg (Flyweight) division, Amit Panghal took the same 5-0 route displaying clear supremacy against another English boxer, Kiaran Macdonald.

"Will Take PM Modi's Autograph On My Boxing Gloves": Nikhat Zareen After CWG Gold

After clinching a gold medal in the final of the women's 50kg Light Flyweight category, Nikhat Zareen said she is excited to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and added that she will take his autograph on her boxing gloves. Indian star boxer and world champion Nikhat Zareen captured the country's third consecutive boxing gold medal of the day by defeating Carly MC Naul of Northern Ireland in the final of women's 50kg (Light Flyweight) at the ongoing Commonwealth Games in Birmingham on Sunday.

Boxers Nikhat Zareen, Amit Panghal, Nitu grab maiden CWG gold medals

Commonwealth Games light flyweight (50kg) title to her bulging trophy cabinet while Amit Panghal (51kg) began his redemption journey with a much-needed gold winning show on Sunday. Nikhat, who is on a winning spree since the Nationals last year, asserted her dominance over Northern Ireland's Carly Mc Naul as she punched her way to a comprehensive 5-0 win in her maiden CWG appearance.