Nikhat Zareen’s steely resolve — hardened by the challenges she has confronted each inside and out of doors the boxing ring — took her all the best way to the highest on the World Championships. She has now set her sights on the 2024 Paris Olympics
Nikhat Zareen’s steely resolve — hardened by the challenges she has confronted each inside and out of doors the boxing ring — took her all the best way to the highest on the World Championships. She has now set her sights on the 2024 Paris Olympics
There can’t be a greater image of rapprochement in Indian sport than the one posted on social media by newly topped boxing World champion Nikhat Zareen. The picture along with her idol M.C. Mary Kom not solely depicts the tip of a three-year feud between the 2 World champions, but it surely additionally sends a feel-good message to anybody who needs to discover boxing as a profession possibility.
It additionally signifies Nikhat’s standing as one of many few high achievers in girls’s boxing within the nation.
The proven fact that the soon-to-be-26-year-old, hailing from Nizamabad in Telangana, is the one Indian girl aside from Mary to say the World crown within the final 16 years makes Nikhat’s feat, within the 52kg class on the Istanbul World Championships final month, all of the extra particular. Leaving apart Mary, who’s a six-time World champion, three others — Sarita Devi, Lekha Okay.C. and Jenny R.L. — gained their World titles (together with Mary) in a special period in New Delhi in 2006.
Bold choice
Growing up in a spot the place girls’s boxing was not widespread, Nikhat, earlier than coming into her teenage years, made a daring choice to stop sprinting and don the gloves. She made the change simply to show a degree after being informed that boxing was meant just for ‘powerful boys.’ Her father Mohammad Jameel, who has at all times been a pillar of assist, backed her to the hilt.
She confronted some resistance from these with conservative notions however that might by no means discourage the energetic Nikhat.
She first hogged the limelight when she gained the World junior title (50kg) in Antalya in 2011. That clearly confirmed her potential, however she had miles to go with a purpose to set up herself on the elite degree.
Gloves on: Nikhat switched from sprinting to boxing simply to show a degree to those that felt that the game was meant just for ‘powerful boys.’
| Photo Credit: Getty Images
So, the household moved to Hyderabad looking for a greater coach and was fortunate to seek out E. Chiranjeevi. Under the steerage of Chiranjeevi, a former Services boxer who believes that there’s logic behind each punch, Nikhat honed her expertise to style success at high home competitions.
But a serious shoulder damage in 2017 stole a 12 months away from the gifted boxer, forcing her to begin afresh. Again, she was lucky to seek out one other in a position information in American Ronald Simms, who was employed with the Inspire Institute of Sports (IIS), Vijayanagar.
“Ron has made a big contribution in my growth because when I was injured in 2017 and started from the basics after my rehab, I trained under him. He was a dedicated coach and I enjoyed training under him,” says Nikhat.
Everything went easily and Nikhat bagged a bronze medal on the Asian Championships in April 2019. But she bumped into bother on the India Open in Guwahati the next month when she mentioned she must put up a robust struggle to beat Olympics bronze medallist Mary.
A misunderstanding triggered bitterness between the 2 as Mary believed that Nikhat was difficult her.
Months later, when the Boxing Federation of India (BFI) cancelled the choice trials for 51kg on the final minute to let Mary compete within the World Championships, Nikhat raised her objection. The problem attracted additional consideration when she demanded a good choice trial for the Olympics qualifier.
Mary gained the trial, however the episode ended with some undesirable publicity.
Nikhat Zareen, when she gained the world junior girls’s boxing gold. File picture.
| Photo Credit: The Hindu Photo Library
All by, Nikhat behaved in a dignified method however caught to her rightful demand with out getting slowed down by the strain.
When Mary sportingly congratulated Nikhat for her World title, the latter rapidly buried the hatchet and fortunately accepted the respect she deserved.
Nikhat’s dedication helped her overcome difficulties contained in the ring and out of doors it. “I believed in myself [and thought] whatever happens, happens for a good reason. The struggle and whatever I faced in the past made me stronger,” says Nikhat.
Another hurdle
The pandemic was one other hurdle, however Nikhat used the problem to push herself to get higher. She was so eager to enhance her recreation within the post-pandemic interval that she spent from her personal pocket to coach on the IIS for about three months as her sponsorship had concluded.
Nikhat’s efforts have been mirrored within the outcomes — she beat two world champions on the Bosphorus match to get a bronze medal final 12 months, gained the gold medal on the Strandja memorial occasion and secured the World crown this 12 months.
Even as adversities made her grittier, Nikhat picked the most effective out of each coach she labored with to elevate her recreation in numerous points — aggressiveness, combos, assault, counter-attack and combating from a distance. “I worked on how to face different styles of boxers. I worked with [chief coach Bhaskar] Bhatt sir on this. I normally discuss with Ron, present IIS coach John [Warburton] from England, Bhatt sir and Chiranjeevi sir.”
In addition to Bhatt, Simms was the go-to man after each bout within the World Championships.
With expertise, Nikhat’s method to the game has modified. Now she tries to throw appropriate punches to maintain accidents at bay.
Hungry for extra: This is simply the beginning. I’ll have a much bigger duty as a World champion, says Nikhat.
| Photo Credit: Getty Images
Areas to enhance
World Cup bronze medallist V. Devarajan, who has been working as a coach and was a part of the 10-member judges’ panel that witnessed the trials bout between Nikhat and Mary three years in the past, feels Nikhat can land an Olympic medal if she works on sure points of her recreation.
“At present, she is World champion, but soon you may see her as an Olympic champion. For that, she has to improve her game as the whole world will have her video now. She needs to work on her coordination of punches, feigning and keeping her guard up. She must use her presence of mind more often during a bout,” says Devarajan.
Boosted by her new-found confidence, Nikhat is eager on shining at massive occasions, together with the forthcoming Commonwealth Games and Asian Games, and the Paris Olympics in 2024.
“This is just the start. I will have a bigger responsibility as a World champion. My next goal is to win a gold medal in the Paris Olympics,” says Nikhat.
Gifted with steely resolve and the willingness to work exhausting, and backed by a battery of environment friendly coaches, Nikhat has every thing at her disposal to lift her recreation additional and obtain her dream of standing on the rostrum in Paris two years from now.
Source: www.thehindu.com
