Lovlina Borgohain, Nikhat Zareen make it to the squad for Asian Games

New Delhi, March 14

Olympics bronze medallist Lovlina Borgohain and former junior World Championships champion Nikhat Zareen were today selected in the Indian women’s boxing team for this year’s Asian Games, to be held in Hangzhou, China. The two emerged victorious in the trials held at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium here.

While Zareen secured her place in the 51kg division, Borgohain clinched the 69kg class spot. Last week, both had made it to the World Championships squad with Zareen qualifying in the 52kg category and Borgohain in the 70kg class.

In the Asian Games trials held this morning, Borgohain defeated Railways’ Pooja and Zareen got the better of Manju Rani, a silver medallist at the 2019 Worlds.

In the World Championship trials held last week, selections were also confirmed for the Asian Games in three overlapping divisions — 57kg, 60kg and 75kg. The Asian Games feature five women’s categories. In the 57kg class, Manisha made the cut for both the showpiece events, while Jaismine (60kg) and Saweety Boora (75kg) also ensured twin selections for themselves. — PTI

Five young pugilists clinch gold

New Delhi: Previous edition’s medal winners Tamanna (50kg) and Nivedita Karki (48kg) were among the five Indian women boxers who grabbed gold medals in the youth competition of the Asian Youth and Junior Boxing Championships in Amman, Jordan, today. Nivedita clinched a sensational 3-2 win over Uzbekistan’s Saidakhon Rakhmonova in the 50kg category. Tamanna beat Robiyankhon Bakhtiyorova. Shaheen (60kg), Ravina (63kg) and Muskan (75kg) were the other three to register victories in the finals and bag gold medals.