Two-time world champion Nikhat Zareen triumphed over Germany’s Maxi Karina Kloetzer in a challenging bout on Sunday, securing her place in the pre-quarterfinals of the women’s 50kg Olympic competition.
Indian boxer Nikhat Zareen made a strong debut at the Paris Olympics, defeating Germany’s Maxi Carina Kloetzer in the women’s 50kg division during the Round of 32 at the North Paris Arena on July 28. Zareen won by a unanimous points decision, with all five judges scoring in her favor.
Zareen, a two-time world champion, missed the opportunity to compete at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics after losing the trials to Mary Kom. Since then, she has claimed two world boxing titles, a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games, and a bronze medal at the Asian Games. Determined to seize this new opportunity, she made a bold statement with her performance.
How things unfolded for Nikhat
Nikhat faced a tough draw at the Olympics, but she was in top form on the day. The first round was closely contested, with Kloetzer appearing to have a slight edge. However, Nikhat dominated the next two rounds, leaving no doubt about the outcome. All five judges scored in her favor, leading to her victory.
Nikhat’s results:
(Courtesy: Olympics.com)
Next, she is set to face Wu Yu of China, the top seed and World champion in the 52kg category, in the upcoming round on Thursday at 2:30 pm IST.
