The Indian boxers competing at the 2024 Paris Olympics have been given tough draws for their events that start on Saturday, at the North Paris Arena.
World champion Nikhat Zareen, who has become a dominant figure in the sport over the past few years, faces Maxi Klotzer of Germany in her first round bout in the women’s 50kg event. A win there will see her take on China’s Wu Yu, the top seed and reigning Asian Games and 52kg world champion.
In the quarter-final, there’s a possibility that Zareen may once again face a strong opponent, in Thailand’s Chuthamat Raksat, who had beaten the Indian in the semi-final stage of the Asian Games last year.
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Returning bronze medallist from the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, Lovlina Borgohain will also have a tough task in the women’s 75kg event.
She will face Sunniva Hofstad of Norway in the first round, followed by a possible second round clash against top seed Li Qian of China, a double Olympic-medallist who had beaten Borgohain in the Asian Games final.
In the women’s 57kg event, Jasmine Lamboria will play her first round bout against Tokyo Olympics silver medallist Nesthy Petecio from the Philippines, while Preeti Pawar, in the women’s 54kg event will face World Championship silver medallist Yeni Arias of Colombia in the second round, if she gets past Vietnam’s Vo Thi Kim Anh in the opening bout.
In the men’s section, veteran pugilist Amit Panghal will face Zambia’s Patrick Chinyemba in his first bout of the men’s 51kg event. A win there will put him up against Asian Games silver medallist Thitisan Panmot of Thailand.
Of all the Indians, arguably, Nishant Dev has received a relatively favourable draw in the men’s 71kg event. He got a bye in the first round and will face Ecuador’s Tenorio Rodriguez. A win there will see him move into the quarter-final, where he could face Pan American Games champion Marco Verde of Mexico.
