Nikhat Zareen, Lovlina Borgohain Qualify For Asian Games

India's High Performance Director (HPD) Bernard Dunne on Saturday confirmed star boxers Nikhat Zareen and Lovina Borgohain have qualified for the Asian Games, which are also the first Olympic Qualifiers for the 2024 Paris Games. For selection to the Asian Games, to be held from September 23 to October 8 in Hangzhou, China, the Boxing Federation of India's (BFI) policy states "Athletes who achieve Gold/Silver at World championships will be an automatic selection for the first Olympic qualifier at the Asian Games."

It means Nikhat (50kg) and Lovlina (75kg), who have reached the light flyweight and middleweight final of the ongoing World Championships respectively, have qualified for the continental event.

"Those who win gold or silver here (at the World Championships) are the automatic selection for the Asian Games," Dunne told reporters.

At the Asian Games, women pugilists will compete in five weight categories: 51kg, 57kg, 60kg, 69kg and 75kg. While the Olympics will have six weight classes -- 50kg, 54kg, 57kg, 60kg, 66kg and 75kg.

This means the minimum weight (48kg) world champion Nitu Ghanghas and Saweety Boora (81kg), who has also reached the final, will be standby boxers should they decide to change to an Olympic weight class.

"Anybody who is changing weight categories will have to be second or third. But in case something happens to the ones who have qualified, we want our number two and three to be ready," Dunne said.

He also asserted that the new evaluation process is here to stay.

The BFI has done away with the selection trials. According to the new policy, which was created in cooperation with Dunne, boxers will have to undergo an evaluation process instead.

Ahead of the ongoing Women's World Championships,